Wedding Bells Just Turned to Rust
by Weasleylover1
Summary: COMPLETE Ever wondered about Narcissa Malfoy? Follows her life from when she first meets Lucius to when Draco's at school. Snape has a big part in this fic!
1. Chapter One

A/N: This story is about Narcissa and Lucius' relationship and was written because I feel that Narcissa Malfoy must care about her son due her insisting that he not be sent to Durmstrang. Snape and Draco will both appear later on, Snape being particularly important. The title comes from a song by The Beautiful South called "A Little Time". The lines are written below. Anyway I was listening to this song and these lines just seemed to perfectly sum up Narcissa and Lucius' relationship to me, so basically the entire story came from those three lines. It is finished and typed up and I'll probably keep posting two or three chapters at a time pretty regularly. It will all be posted!  
  
RATING: I'm rating this pg13 because of some swearing (though it isn't really much) and violence in later chapters, but on the whole I think the rating may be a little overly cautious.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Lucius or Narcissa, I didn't write Wuthering Heights and I don't own the copywrite on "A Little Time". I do own the plot though.  
  
**Narcissa's thoughts**This will change in later chapters but I'll warn you when I do that.  
  
Wedding bells just turned to rust  
  
*******  
  
Promises, Promises turned to dust.  
Wedding Bells just turned to rust.  
Trust into mistrust.  
  
*******  
  
Chapter one  
  
Narcissa was sat at a table outside a small café in Diagon Alley. It was 7:30 in the morning but then she'd always been a morning person. It was the start of a glorious summer day and it was already very warm. She was sat alone, her only company a half empty cup and a battered paperback novel.  
  
"Is this seat taken?" Narcissa heard a silky voice behind her.  
  
"No," she said dismissively, she was not in the mood for company but being too polite to say so she simply kept her tone unencouraging. That is she didn't feel like company until she looked up and saw the handsome man staring down at her, then her tone became instantly warmer and more friendly, "No, please sit down."  
  
"Lucius," he extended a pale hand which she took.  
  
"Narcissa, it's a pleasure to meet you."  
  
His grip on her hand was firm, almost too firm. **Hmm, he must be stronger than he looks.** He was of a tall slim build, with very pale skin and dark hair with cold grey eyes, he was gorgeous.  
  
"What are you reading?" he asked.  
  
"Wuthering Heights."  
  
"Isn't that a muggle book?" A note of disdain crept into his voice.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Oh," his voice suddenly sounded disinterested. "Personally I never read anything written by muggles. This trash will contaminate your mind." He took the book from her unresisting hands and set it aside.  
  
"I thought it was rather romantic actually," Narcissa argued.  
  
"I don't believe in romance."  
  
"I do." Her voice turned cold, **handsome he may be but he's arrogant with it.**  
  
"You'll grow out of that."   
  
**Patronising git!**  
  
"Can I buy you another coffee?"  
  
"I don't drink coffee," **And I think I was right the first time I am not in the mood for company, even when it's this good looking.**  
  
"Tea then?"   
  
**He doesn't give in does he?**  
  
"Thank you but I was just leaving." Narcissa smiled politely and rose from her seat.  
  
**The nerve of that guy!**   
  
It was only after she'd left the shade of the café patio that she realised she'd left her book behind.  
  
*******  
  
Thanks for reading, I'll post no matter how many reviews I get but I'd love it if you review. 


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: I only own the plot, also Morgana's character. I do not own any of J.K. Rowling's characters, Count Dracula, Jack the Ripper or Shakespeare.  
  
**Narcissa's thoughts**  
  
Wedding Bells Just Turned to Rust  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Several weeks had passed since the meeting in the café but Narcissa couldn't stop thinking about the handsome older man she'd met. She had graduated Hogwarts only that July and felt as though the world was her oyster. She knew she was pretty, beautiful in fact, she'd always had her fair share of admirers. She didn't need one that arrogant, even though he was tall, dark and very handsome. She was a classic beauty, thin, tanned, silky blond hair and deep blue eyes. She didn't need Lucius; she could have anyone she wanted. So why did she keeping thinking about him?  
  
"You wouldn't believe him! He was the most annoying, arrogant git you ever met and it was clear he thought he was the bee's knees. You know the type, certain that they're God's gift and feel the need to brag about it."  
  
"You know you've been talking about him all evening, are you sure you don't like him?" Morgana asked slyly, glancing at her friend.  
  
"What?! You have to be kidding me, I mean he was very attractive but there's no way that I could fall for someone like him!"  
  
"Yeah, right! Why don't you stop talking about him and enjoy the party."  
  
Morgana knew Narcissa well enough to think that she was protesting just a little too much. They'd been firm friends from the first day of Hogwarts. Having met on the train they had been delighted at being sorted into the same house, Slytherin of course, and had proved inseparable in the following seven years. Both from old pure blood families whose reputations had a tendency to be somewhat dubious and both used to getting their own way, the obvious and undisputed leaders of Slytherin house. Narcissa was known for having her head in the clouds, living for the moment, whereas Morgana was much more practical and pragmatic. They had rented an apartment in Westminster after their graduation and had spent much of the summer so far being the life and soul of every party, dance and ministry function in Britain and much of the rest of Europe. Society expected great things of the two of them and everyone wanted to be at their side. Tonight had been no exception; the two of them had hardly been off the dance floor for a minute. The party was like a thousand others they had attended, the wizarding world may be living in terror but that seemed to have inspired a general feeling of living for the moment. This in itself was nothing new, even Narcissa had to admit that the whole Voldemort situation was getting to her. Everyone was worried but instead of hiding many had taken to having an attitude of carpe diem. **Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow you may be dead**. Narcissa was half amused at their attitude; she had no reason to worry. Not that that meant she felt totally secure but that was just paranoia wasn't it? She was pulled from her reverie by a silky, far too familiar voice.  
  
"Fancy seeing you here. We meet again."  
  
**It can't be, I couldn't strike that unlucky!** Narcissa turned to face Lucius.  
  
"Narcissa, you left your book."  
  
He held out her battered copy of Wuthering Heights and she took it with a slight smile, feeling unaccountably odd at seeing him again. "Good evening Lucius, this is my friend Morgana Myriades."  
  
"How do you do," Lucius took the hand Morgana offered but instead of shaking it raised it to his lips.  
  
Narcissa wasn't sure why but this made her feel strangely angry.  
  
"Thank you for returning my book, but we shouldn't keep you. There appears to be a queue forming to get your attention." It was true young women were stood all around hoping to get Lucius to look their way.  
  
"Well, I was hoping that you would return the favour and honour me with a dance."  
  
Narcissa felt a tremendous battle between the fact that she knew it would be deeply impolite to turn him down and the fact that she really didn't want to dance with this man. She hesitated then seeing his cool eyes fixed on her own she had passed her book to Morgana and taken his hand before she realised what she was doing.  
  
He was, of course, a wonderful dancer. Everyone in the room had their eyes fixed on the stunning couple, watching as Narcissa all but melted in his arms while trying desperately not to show it.  
  
At the end of the song they stayed on the dance floor not speaking but just dancing staring into each other's eyes and Narcissa was beginning to think this had been a bad idea. Eventually she made an excuse saying that she simply must leave as it was getting late, which it certainly was.  
  
"Wilt though leave me so unsatisfied?"  
  
**Shakespeare? Well, I should have known he'd be the cultured type. Then again, he is one of the most famous figures in wizarding literature, every savage must have heard of him.**  
  
"What satisfaction canst thou have tonight?" **Why not humour the arrogant bastard?**  
  
"The promise that I may see you again," he said teasing note gone from his voice.  
  
She was about to smile and shake her head when something prompted her to say, "Alright," and give him her address. "Send me an owl and we'll go out sometime."  
  
"You have got it bad!" Morgana said as they left the party. "And when you said Lucius you didn't say it was Lucius Malfoy!"  
  
"What about it?"  
  
"His family are a bit...well...nothing's ever been proved but the rumours are that he's a supporter of You-Know-Who."  
  
"Unsubstantiated rumour! Besides I have not got it bad, I'm just having some fun that's all and it's not like he's Count Dracula!"  
  
"He charmed women too you know, then killed them!"  
  
"You make him sound like Jack the Ripper or something, Lucius is no murderer. He asked me on a date not to join him in taking over the world!"  
  
"Alright, but just be careful with him ok? I don't know how much I trust that guy, and you've certainly changed your opinion of him in a short space of time."  
  
"Oh, I still think he's too arrogant for words, but if I can cure him of that then he might just be a nice guy. He's handsome, charming and a wonderful dancer..."  
  
"Plus he's rich which never hurts!"  
  
Both women laughed at this.  
  
"No," Narcissa said, "I guess it doesn't."  
  
*******  
  
A/N: OK I made Shakespeare a wizard I just figured Lucius would try to show off and act cultured and, as we established in the first chapter, he doesn't read muggle authors. If anyone's interested his line is spoken by Romeo in "Romeo and Juliet" at the end of the balcony scene, the line Narcissa replies with is then spoken by Juliet but after that it's all my stuff again.  
  
Carpe diem by the way is a Latin phrase that found it's way into the English language and it means seize the day.  
  
Westminster is the London district where Parliament and Westminster Abbey are situated. 


	3. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: I don't own Rowling's characters but I do own the plot and Morgana Myriades. Though actually my friend "honest_iago" (go read her poems at fictionpress as she won't let me) came up with the name Myriades.  
  
**Narcissa's thoughts**  
  
Wedding Bells Just Turned to Rust  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Lucius and Narcissa were slowly growing closer and closer. He took her to exotic places bought her the most beautiful gifts and showered her with attention. She had no way of resisting his charms. Morgana had finally conceded that he probably wasn't trouble and had begun to get along with him very well. Narcissa was pleased, she was falling madly in love with Lucius but she didn't want her friendship to suffer because of it. There were times though when he would be completely out of reach for days at a time and he never once explained where he'd been in that time. They were going through another one of those periods at the moment and Morgana was beginning to grow suspicious.  
  
"There's been another attack, two aurors are dead, so are several muggles. Funny isn't it that these things always seem to happen when Lucius isn't around?" Morgana asked, careful to keep her voice neutral as though remarking on the weather.  
  
"What! That's because he works for the ministry! He's busy stopping people getting killed, what are you suggesting?" Narcissa asked suspiciously.  
  
"Nothing, you're right I was out of line. Sorry, he still gives me the creeps at times." Morgana wasn't entirely sure that she was sorry but she didn't want to fight with her best friend and it was clear that Narcissa was not going to listen to criticism of Lucius.  
  
"You're being daft, he's a really nice guy!" Narcissa insisted.  
  
"If you say so, I guess you should know." Narcissa failed to notice the doubt that was in Morgana's voice, there were times when she felt Narcissa didn't know Lucius at all.  
  
"Yeah, I should!" she said laughing, clearly thinking it a preposterous idea that he would keep things from her. "Anyway he said he'd take me out tonight."  
  
"Oh, where are you going?"  
  
"I don't know yet, he said it was going to be a surprise."  
  
*******  
  
Lucius picked Narcissa up at seven that evening and they flooed to his home, where she had rarely ever been. She didn't like the place; it was decidedly creepy.  
  
They went outside and walked into the town nearby finally entering one of the old houses in the suburbs.  
  
"Lucius, where are we going?" Narcissa asked curiously.  
  
"I told you there's someone I want you to meet." He said offering no further explanation.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"A great man, I think he'll like you."  
  
**He'll like me? Doesn't he mean I'll like him?**  
  
They continued up the stairs of the house and Lucius offered her a jar of floo powder and started a fire in the grate.  
  
"Where are we going?!" Narcissa asked again becoming exasperated with the strangely circuitous route they appeared to be taking to their destination.  
  
"You'll see, just say Riddle residence."  
  
"Who's Riddle?" Narcissa started but Lucius merely smiled enigmatically and stepped into the fire. Left with little choice but to follow Narcissa grabbed some floo powder and stepped in after him.  
  
The first thing Narcissa was aware of was that the fireplace she was emerging from was grand in the extremes. The room she stepped out into was certainly no less so and she gaped at her surroundings. She was no stranger to luxury but this was incredible, if verging on gaudy. Lucius took her arm and led her out of a door and through the labyrinth-like house. **Wonder if there's a Minotaur in the middle?** She laughed a little at her thought, earning a disapproving glance from Lucius who was acting as though they were walking on holy ground.  
  
It felt like they had walked though several miles of corridors when he stopped and nodded towards a door. The disinterested way he did it incensed Narcissa.  
  
"I'm not going anywhere else until you tell me what's going on!"  
  
"I told you we're here so that you can meet someone."  
  
"Very descriptive Lucius!"  
  
Suddenly her voice failed her as a laugh emanated from the door beside them, it was a cold mirthless laugh and, for some reason she could not divine, it froze her.  
  
Lucius took advantage of her momentary lack of resistance to take her arm again and lead her into the room the laughter had emerged from.  
  
It was huge and grand but dark decorated in greens and blacks and deep blues. There were people stood silently at the sides of the room with respectful almost fearful looks on their faces. It was only when she saw the man sat on the chair at the end of the room that it hit her. **It's a throne room.** The man rose and walked towards them and Lucius bowed his head in respect trying to silently communicate to Narcissa to do the same. **I bow to no one!** she thought giving the man her most supercilious look.  
  
He laughed again, a high, cold laugh, but this time it didn't shake her. "Interesting, this must be the lovely Narcissa."  
  
"It must indeed, but who pray are you? My errant and ardent admirer failed to inform who we were calling on or even where in the western hemisphere we were." Her voice dripped sarcasm, she got the impression he was sizing her up, judging her and she didn't like it.  
  
"I am Lord Voldemort."  
  
A simple statement but it was clear he was aiming for a reaction, **well he's not getting one!** Narcissa lazily raised one perfectly shaped eyebrow keeping her face entirely neutral, pleased when this seemed to annoy him. Underneath she had to admit she was more than a little shocked but she didn't feel scared, just numb, she'd had no idea how deep into all this Lucius must be. She'd known he wasn't exactly fighting for light and goodness, but this was still a little shocking.  
  
Voldemort turned his attention back to Lucius saying, "She's every bit as beautiful as you described, she could however use a few improvements in her manners."  
  
**Hey! My manners are fine as they are! Is Lucius going to stick up for me or not?!**  
  
"I apologise my Lord."  
  
**Apparently not.**  
  
"Pureblood?"  
  
"Of course." Narcissa interjected feeling that this had gone quite far enough and she would not be talked about as though she wasn't even there.  
  
Voldemort looked back at her, "Well," he sneered, "Feisty little thing aren't you?"  
  
**Little! I'm as tall as he is!**  
  
He laughed at the indignant expression on her face. "I like that, let me give you a tour my dear." He took her arm and guided her out of the door.  
  
"I'm willing to bet you've heard a lot of bad press about me and my followers, haven't you?"  
  
"Well, to be frank, I guess I have."  
  
"The ministry and their propaganda! You see Narcissa I'm just trying to create a better world for all of us. The wizarding world has become weak, the old bloodlines polluted and the proud history of our kind sullied. We hide from muggles! We spend our days concealing everything we do. Magic is nothing to be ashamed of; it is something to be proud of. It's time for us to stop hiding in the shadows and claim our rightful place as rulers. We are superior to them. Don't you agree?"  
  
"Well, when you put it like that...I guess I sort of do." **I don't believe it, he is making some kind of sense here and Lucius must have a reason for following him.**  
  
"Now why don't I show you the gardens?"  
  
Narcissa allowed herself to be steered out into one of the most beautiful gardens she'd ever seen. "It's amazing!"  
  
"You see Narcissa, I can offer much more than simple power. Lucius is making a wise decision by following me."  
  
Lucius walked out to meet them, "It's getting late, I think I should get Narcissa home."  
  
Voldemort took her hand and kissed it lightly, "Goodbye my dear, I'm so glad we met."  
  
"It was a pleasure to meet you too." **And strangely enough I think I mean that.**  
  
"Goodnight my Lord," Lucius nodded at him respectfully.  
  
"Goodnight Lucius."  
  
*******  
  
On the way home Narcissa found herself unable to hold back her questions any longer. "Why didn't you tell me you were involved with him before? Are you a deatheater?" There was no accusing tone in Narcissa's voice it was merely curious.  
  
"I didn't want to worry you darling." Lucius responded, taking hold of her hand, "Yes I am, but you see how people react when all we want is what is rightfully ours."  
  
"Yes, I can't believe how close minded everyone's being," Narcissa started but then timidly added, without knowing the reason for her own timidity, "But Lucius aren't there less violent ways to do what you're doing? People are really scared."  
  
"Dearest, this is the only way. Besides you know how the Daily Prophet loves to exaggerate things and you don't know anyone who has run into any trouble do you?"  
  
"Well no I don't, I guess I should know better than to believe everything the papers tell me," Narcissa said relieved by his reassurances.  
  
"Yes, you should." Lucius' tone was patronising but Narcissa for some reason let it slip, he didn't like being criticised and she saw no reason to end their evening on an unpleasant note, especially when he had been so open with her.  
  
*******  
  
Please review, I'll love you forever! I'll update soon! 


	4. Chapter Four

I want to thank my reviewers, all two of you, I love you for reviewing!  
  
honest_iago-glad you like it and thanks for dropping a review but when will I be seeing your stuff up?  
  
Sailor Myst-thank you for reviewing you were my first ever reviewer you even beat honest_iago to it. I most definitely will continue even though I'm wondering if anyone's reading it. Glad you thought it was interesting.  
  
Disclaimer: I just own the plot not J.K.'s chracters, but Morgana's   
mine.  
  
Wedding Bells just turned to rust  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Narcissa returned to find Morgana sat at the breakfast bar in the flat nursing a cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream on top scattered with mini marshmallows. She looked up and asked, "How was your date? Did her take you somewhere nice?"  
  
"Yes, it was very interesting."  
  
"Interesting? That's a funny way to describe a date."  
  
"It provided me with some insight as to who Lucius really is, it informed my perspective on a lot of things."  
  
"Where did he take you?" Morgana asked clearly curious.  
  
"Just to meet someone," Narcissa replied evasively.  
  
"His parents?" Morgana pressed.  
  
"No, they're dead."  
  
"Then who?" Morgana asked determined to get to the bottom of this mystery.  
  
"Voldemort." Narcissa said nonchalantly.  
  
Morgana shuddered and snapped, "Narcissa, that's not funny!"  
  
"I wasn't joking."  
  
"What? Are you alright? Did he hurt you?" Morgana's concern was evident.  
  
"Of course not, you've been reading too many of those Daily Prophet scare-mongering articles." Narcissa said amused at the sudden shock on her friend's face.  
  
"They're killing people!" Morgana said, not at all liking Narcissa's amusement.  
  
"Oh, it's all exaggerated! And they do have a good reason; I mean why should we have to hide? Magic isn't something to be ashamed of!"  
  
"I never said it was, but that doesn't mean you can justify killing people!"  
  
"Sometimes you simply have to choose the lesser of two evils. When there's only one way to get your point across you have to take it!"  
  
"Narcissa they're no freedom fighters!" Morgana's voice rose in volume.  
  
"Oh but they are! They're fighting for your freedom, for your children's freedom! Muggles outnumber us; they oppress us because we are better than them! We can't just let that continue!"  
  
"Well, they certainly did a good job on you didn't they?!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You swallowed their propaganda hook, line and sinker!"  
  
"Oh, now you're just being ridiculous."  
  
"Narcissa, they are bad people! They cause pain, death and destruction! They are the reason the whole wizarding world is hiding under their beds!"  
  
"People just don't understand, they'll thank them one day!"  
  
"No, they won't! In a hundred years time kids are going to be sat in a history class, probably still being taught by Professor Binns, and they'll be being told of the atrocities these people committed and wondering how anyone could ever have supported them! Narcissa in all the years I have known you I have never known you act like this, you've never claimed to better than someone else simply because of your bloodline or your magic! How can you suddenly be this way!?"  
  
"You just don't understand! But you will, I'm sure. Why don't I get Lucius to have a word with you, he could probably put this better than me."  
  
"'He could probably put this better than me?' Six months ago you were telling me that this guy was too arrogant for words and now suddenly he can put this better than you! Either you're saying you don't understand it, in which case you shouldn't be supporting it, or you're simply saying he's better than you, which is not at all like the Narcissa I know!"  
  
"Then maybe you don't know me very well!"  
  
"Clearly I don't! I can't believe some one so close to me could betray her conscience in such a way! Either you stop seeing him, or I'm moving out!"  
  
"Fine, move out then, because I love him!"  
  
"Fine! I won't stay in a house with a future deatheater any longer!"  
  
*******  
  
"And then she just stormed out! I can't bear this, why doesn't she understand?" Narcissa sobbed.  
  
"Shh, it'll be alright Narcissa, everything will be alright. Now why don't you stay here tonight, that'll give her time to calm down. She might think differently in the morning."  
  
"Maybe, you're right."  
  
"Of course I am, now I'll have the house elf make you a cup of tea you go and clean yourself up a bit eh? The bathroom's upstairs, second on the right."  
  
"Thank you Lucius, I don't know what I'd do without you!"  
  
******* 


	5. Chapter Five

Disclaimer: Getting so sick of writing these, I don't own J.K.'s characters just Morgana and the plot.  
  
Wedding Bells Just Turned to Rust  
  
Chapter 5  
  
I'm sorry things had to end this way. You're my best friend and you always will be but I can't stay and watch you sink into this. You told me they were freedom fighters. Just remember that one person's freedom fighter is another person's terrorist. I'm hoping you'll come to your senses one day. I'm sure we'll meet again, until then have a nice life Narcissa and take care of yourself,  
  
Love Morgana  
  
"She left! I don't believe she left!"  
  
"I'm sorry?" Lucius turned to Narcissa who was reading the note she had found on the breakfast bar next to a cold and forgotten cup of hot chocolate.  
  
"Look at this, Morgana left a note and her keys, she isn't coming back," Narcissa said faintly.  
  
"Oh Narcissa I'm sorry," he said slipping his arms around her, "But maybe you're better off without her, it sounded like she was about ready to go running to the ministry to me."  
  
"She wouldn't do that," Narcissa said lifting her head from his shoulder and pulling back slightly.  
  
"I'm sure you're right. Anyway, she said you'd meet again. Maybe she'll come back."  
  
"Yeah, maybe." Narcissa was unconvinced but allowed her head to sink back on to his shoulder taking comfort from his silent embrace.  
  
*******  
  
Morgana didn't come back and Narcissa continued to live in their London apartment alone. Lucius kept her from getting lonely though and she fell more in love with him everyday. To her, life seemed perfect. She was the envy of every woman around while on Lucius' arm and it was becoming rare for her to be seen without him. He was a perfect gentleman, pulled out her chair for her to sit down, held open doors, gave her his cloak when she was cold. He was perfect. She had seen the Dark Lord only once or twice since that first meeting and she remained unbothered by the deatheaters' activities, only at times feeling a slight twinge when reports of more killings would come though, but she shrugged it off, she knew Lucius could never be involved in something like that.  
  
*******  
  
One beautiful, sunny evening the following year Lucius took her out into the gardens of Malfoy Manor and, dropping down on one knee, asked to marry him.  
  
"Yes! Yes of course I will!" she squealed ecstatically.  
  
He swept her off her feet and spun her round. "I love you," he whispered in her ear as he set her gently back on the ground.  
  
"I love you too."  
  
******* 


	6. Chapter Six

Disclaimer: I own the plot not J.K.'s marvellous characters and I'm certainly not getting any richer by writing this (more's the pity!)  
  
Wedding Bells Just Turned to Rust  
  
Chapter 6  
  
The wedding was a very grand affair and Narcissa could have sworn she didn't know half of the guests. She had tried desperately to find Morgana and ask her to come but she had been unable to contact her, or maybe Morgana just didn't want to reply.  
  
Lucius' best man was a deatheater she knew well, he had been in Slytherin at the same time as her, two years below her.  
  
"Severus, thank you so much for making sure Lucius got here on time, I was so afraid that I'd get here and it would transpire he'd run off with one of my bridesmaids or something!" she laughed, still in her white satin wedding dress, and hugged a fairly flustered Severus Snape. She suspected that he might be just a little bit sweet on her and she was very fond of him.  
  
"You look beautiful."  
  
"Thank you. I hardly know anyone here! They're all Lucius' friends or dignitaries of some sort."  
  
"Didn't you write the guest list?"  
  
"Are you kidding Lucius had everything planned down to the last piece of confetti! He's such a perfectionist, I'm half surprised he didn't want to choose my dress!"  
  
The two of them laughed and Lucius walked over to slip an arm around his young bride.  
  
"Not trying to steal her from me are you Sev? Too late," he held up her left hand, displaying the beautiful silver wedding ring, "she's mine now!"  
  
"Wouldn't dream of it." Severus replied smiling at the happy couple.  
  
"I like him, he's such a nice guy, if a little reserved!" Narcissa said fondly as he walked away.  
  
"Yes, he's a good man, he'll go far." Lucius agreed, but Narcissa had the feeling that they were not quite on the same page.  
  
*******  
  
Finally Sev appears, he is important in this fic it just took him a while to make an appearance.  
  
Ok, I know all these three chapters were really short but that's why I put them all up together, the next one's short as well I'm afraid but there's a long chapter after that. The chapters tend to get longer as you progress through the story, this one's the shortest of the lot. In case anyone was wondering there will be 19 chapters in all. There will be a sequel too but I haven't finished writing that yet.  
  
Take pity on me and don't make me beg for reviews! Please!!! 


	7. Chapter Seven

Disclaimer: I don't own J.K. Rowling's characters.  
  
Thanks to StarliteBaby for reviewing (You're the only person who did this time, boo hoo!). I can't tell you whether or not Morgana will come back you'll have to wait and see, but she will be mentioned several more times at least in this fic and I promise you her role is not done with just yet she has a very important part to play later.  
  
Wedding Bells Just Turned to Rust  
  
Chapter 7  
  
"Lucius!" Narcissa found her husband in his study writing a letter.  
  
"I'm working Narcissa, what do you want!"  
  
"Don't snap at me sweetheart, I've got good news!" she said her spirits not dampened by his harsh words.  
  
"You've finally realised that I will not let you redecorate the manor and you've come to inform me that you will never bother me on that subject again?" he said sardonically.  
  
"I'm afraid, we may have to do some redecorating, at least in one room!" she teased.  
  
"What did that bloody house elf damage this time, is it that bad!?"  
  
"No it's not Dobby dear!" she laughed, "I've just been talking to Severus..."  
  
"What is he intending on moving in or something?" Lucius interrupted.  
  
"No dear. He mixed a potion for me." Narcissa said patiently, knowing what her husband was like when he was only half paying attention.  
  
"Which has what relevance to redecorating?"  
  
"It was a pregnancy tester," she stated in an attempt to gain his attention.  
  
"Again, I ask the relevance to redecorating...A what tester?!"  
  
She smirked, "I'm pregnant."  
  
"That's wonderful! Where exactly does redecorating come into this?"  
  
"We'll need a nursery!"  
  
"Of course, just make sure it's tasteful and in-keeping with the rest of the house."  
  
"That's it! I tell you I'm pregnant and that's all the reaction you've got?!"  
  
"I really am busy darling!" Seeing the disappointment on her face he stood up and put his arms round her waist, "I tell you what, why don't I take you out for dinner tonight to celebrate?"  
  
"You are pleased?" she asked unsure.  
  
"Another Malfoy for the world?" he smiled, "Of course I'm pleased!"  
  
*******  
  
Narcissa went to lie down and found herself drifting off. She was awoken several hours later when Lucius gently shook her shoulder. "Darling there are some people here to see you, they want to celebrate your pregnancy!"  
  
"I thought we were going out, just you and me?!" she asked feeling a little let down.  
  
"Oh Narcissa, we need to really celebrate! It's not everyday I find out a Malfoy heir's on the way!" Lucius said pulling her up off the bed and handing her fresh robes from the wardrobe.  
  
"What if it's a girl?" Narcissa asked.  
  
"How soon will we know?"  
  
"Not for a while yet."  
  
"Well, heiress then," he said dismissively, "I don't mind either way."  
  
"Me neither!" she smiled, then added, "Though I would like a little girl!"  
  
*******  
  
A/N: I know very short chapter but the next one is longer I promise! 


	8. Chapter Eight

Disclaimer: I don't own J.K. Rowling's characters (wish I owned Sev though!)  
  
Wedding Bells Just Turned to Rust  
  
Chapter 8  
  
Things continued much as they always had, Lucius was a little cold at times but she simply put that down to stress. Narcissa knew that he suspected a spy was in their midst though personally she wasn't sure whether or not he was just being paranoid. She saw little of her husband but then things were getting busier and she knew that Lucius was being kept busy both by his deatheater activities and keeping up appearances at the ministry. When he did come home it was often late and he was slowly becoming more irritable.  
  
She often found herself alone, she saw little of her friends from school and she missed Morgana dreadfully. Even Severus, who used to be a frequent visitor, hardly ever came to see her these days and when he did he too seemed stressed and paler than he used to be.   
  
She had always been capable of amusing herself but now she felt incredibly lonely. She was also beginning to think that there was something down in the dungeons, she knew Lucius used them for various things but lately she had begun to hear noises coming from them and she was sure he was keeping prisoners down there. This didn't bother her at first but as she was more and more frequently left alone in the creepy manor it was beginning to wear away at her nerves until she jumped at the slightest noise and nearly had a heart attack one day when the house elf crept up on her.  
  
It was early January and Narcissa was around seven months pregnant, the gardens were dead and a thick frost covered the ground. She was bored senseless, she had spent the morning in the library with a book but she felt energetic and decided to take a walk around the frozen grounds. The house elf brought her her cloak and she put it on but hesitated as she was about to walk out of the front door. She once again heard a noise from the dungeons, it sounded like someone was crying.  
  
"Dobby, can you hear anything?"  
  
The house elf was silent a moment, "Dobby is thinking he is hearing someone crying but there is being no one here but Madam Malfoy so I is thinking I is mishearing things."  
  
"You're not. I can hear it too, does it sound like it's coming from the dungeons to you?"  
  
The house elf nodded slowly clearly terrified that it would be asked to go and investigate. That had in fact been Narcissa's intention but the fear on the little creature's face changed her mind. After all it was her own house and she had nothing to fear.  
  
"I'm going to go and see what it is, it's probably nothing but it'll give me something to do," she kept her tone light but her voice shook slightly, she really didn't want to go down there but she knew she would be unable to be happy in this house until she knew what those noises were.  
  
"Be careful!" Dobby warned her and she smiled at him affectionately, she rather liked the funny little creature despite Lucius' obvious disgust.  
  
She descended into the dungeons leaving on her outdoor cloak as she was sure there was no heating down there. She walked through the dark passages illuminated only by the light from her wand. It had gone eerily quiet and she began to wonder if she had been mistaken when she heard a muffled sob.  
  
"Who's there?" she called but received no answer other than more sobbing noises.  
  
She continued down a corridor to the side and traced the noises to a locked door.  
  
"Is there someone in there?" she tapped on the door and the sobbing instantly stopped.  
  
Worried she unlocked the door and slowly opened it keeping her wand at the ready in case of any trouble all the while thinking she'd never forgive herself if anything happened to her baby because of her own impetuousness and inability to sit still.  
  
Stepping into the room she was horrified at the sight which met her eyes. A little girl with red hair and large brown eyes was cowered on the floor. She was chained to the far wall and was wearing only a thin cotton dress nowhere near warm enough in the freezing dungeons. Tears were flowing down the little girl's face and she drew back in fear at the sight of Narcissa with her wand raised.  
  
"My God!" Narcissa instantly pointed her wand away from the little girl and went to kneel beside her.  
  
"It's alright sweetheart, don't cry." She removed the girl's chains and wrapped her in her own fur-lined cloak holding her and stroking her hair. The little girl clung to her, crying uncontrollably. Narcissa felt icy cold and not simply because of the lack of heating, there was only one person who could have left this child here. She had spent so long trying to excuse Lucius, to rationalize what he and the deatheaters did and now she had come across something no mother could ignore. The child was helpless and terrified and Narcissa's maternal instincts made her feel capable of using the unforgivables on whoever had done this to this child, even if it was her husband.  
  
"Shhh, it's alright," she said comforting the girl who was beginning to cry a little less now.  
  
"I want my mum."  
  
Narcissa's heart broke at these words and she felt tears flowing down her face. How could someone do this to a child, a child who could be no more than seven years old, an innocent.  
  
She heard footsteps outside and her grip on the child tightened unconsciously as she whirled to face the door. Her husband looked at her in shock as did the figure behind him, it was Voldemort. Narcissa just stared at them unable to speak for her rage and sorrow tears still streaming down her face.  
  
"What are you doing?!" Lucius spat at her.  
  
"I might ask you the same thing! What on earth is this child doing locked in a dungeon?!"  
  
"That is none of your concern, put the thing down and get out of here."  
  
"No way in hell am I leaving this little girl down here!"  
  
Voldemort raised his wand and had it pointed directly at her, or rather at the weeping bundle in her arms and before Narcissa knew what was happening he had cast the killing curse and the child went limp in her arms.  
  
Narcissa cried out "No!" bewildered and in a severe state of shock.  
  
"Now you don't have to worry about leaving it here." Voldemort's voice was as devoid of emotion as Lucius' expression and Narcissa felt sick. She stared down at the little lifeless body in her arms and her tears fell faster than ever.  
  
"She was just a little girl!" she whispered her voice breaking. "How could you?!" Her voice became stronger as her anger grew. "How dare you! She was a child who wanted her mother! You left her locked in cold dark dungeon alone and then you murdered her!"  
  
Lucius grabbed hold of her wand arm and twisted it up shoving her harshly into a wall and causing the little girl's body to hit the floor.  
  
"If you weren't carrying my child...!"  
  
"Now, now Lucius, I'm sure this is nothing more than a bout of hormonal hysterics brought on by the pregnancy," Voldemort sneered.  
  
"What?!" Narcissa exclaimed in anger and disbelief.  
  
"Shut up you worthless bitch!" Lucius threw her roughly to the ground and Narcissa simply stared at him in shock. "Get out of here and clean yourself up! You better be more respectful next time we see you."  
  
Narcissa rose to her feet and ran from the dungeons and out of the manor oblivious as to where she was going.  
  
*******  
  
A/N: Cliffhanger! Aren't I evil! I promise a new chapter or two soon! Please review, let me know that someone cares! 


	9. Chapter Nine

Disclaimer: I only own the plot  
  
A/N: See I didn't keep you waiting too long after my evil cliffhanger. I've posted another fic at the same time as updating this one. It's a little one-shot which links with this about what happens when Snape goes to Dumbledore and offers to be a spy, the vents to this story being part of his reasoning. Please, read it and review! I'll love you forever!  
  
Review Responses:  
  
StarliteBaby:- thank you for reviewing again, hope the update was soon enough for you.  
  
Saskia:- Thank you and I'm glad you think this could be close to the truth. Personally I never read Lily and James  
  
Usako3000:- Thanks for reviewing, here's more for you.  
  
Angelika:- Thank you, I'm flattered that you think it keeps getting more and more interesting and that you like how Narcisssa is portrayed. As to her acting like a Gryffindor, she might take that as an insult but I see where you're coming from. However, you'll certainly come to see her more Slytherin side. Just as a taster I'll tell you that you will see both the Slytherin traits of manipulation and revenge at different points in this story, you'll probably like her in one of those instances but not in the other. Trust me she's a true Slytherin at heart, not that that's a bad thing.  
  
Oh and a big thank you to Miss Moony who has put me on her favourites list, YAY! (Does your name suggest that you too are a Remus fan? I love that guy!)  
  
Wow! I've never given that many review responses before!  
  
Wedding Bells Just Turned to Rust  
  
Chapter 9  
  
As Narcissa raced down the path she ran directly in to someone who caught hold of her as she passed, causing her to stop and lash out at them before she realised who it was.  
  
"Severus! Oh I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"  
  
"Do you always kick your visitors in the shins?" he said dryly before noticing the tears on her face and the pained way in which she was gripping her arm. "What on earth's the matter?"  
  
The concern in his eyes overwhelmed her and she broke down entirely, falling into his arms in a faint.  
  
*******  
  
Narcissa blinked open her eyes to find that she was in her own bed and her arm no longer hurt. She tried to sit up but gentle hands pushed her back down.  
  
"Just rest a minute."  
  
"Sev?"  
  
"Yes. You fainted and I brought you up here. Lucius has gone out, he didn't seem in the best of tempers. I mended your arm."  
  
"The baby?"  
  
"The child is fine. What happened?"  
  
"I...I went down to the dungeons because I heard something and there was this child down there, a little girl. They had her chained up in a cold, dark dungeon and she was crying and then Lucius and You-Know-Who came and they killed her and Lucius knocked me to the floor because I tried to stop them." Narcissa babbled half incoherently but Severus gathered what had happened. Narcissa broke down crying again unable to control herself.  
  
Severus' eyes flashed in anger. "How could he strike his own wife?!"  
  
"Well personally I'm more concerned at how he could torture a small child, but then I guess to you deatheaters that's ok now is it, I mean I'm sure it was some terrible enemy in disguise! You're no better than him so don't pretend you are!" Narcissa practically screamed at Severus, her tears stopped through her rage.  
  
Severus merely sat there, a look of deep hurt in his dark eyes, until Narcissa broke down again and buried her face in her hands mumbling "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry...."  
  
"Shhh," Severus put his arms around her in an awkward hug, he had never seen Narcissa this emotional before and was having some difficulty knowing what to do. She sobbed into his shoulder for a while before pulling herself together and asking the question she knew she had to ask. "Did you know about the child?"  
  
"Not that one in particular no, but I knew that they had harmed children before."  
  
"How can you support them knowing that?"  
  
He didn't answer and Narcissa was grateful, she didn't want excuses or protestations of innocence.  
  
"Are you going to stay here, because if you're going to leave then I suggest you do it now."  
  
"Leave? Where would I go? Who'd take me in? Who'd want to know? And more importantly what would happen to my child? How can I let my son grow up without a father?"  
  
"Son? I thought you'd decided to wait to find out the sex."  
  
"I did, but it's just a feeling I've got, I'm sure it's a boy." She smiled and placed her hands on her stomach. "He kicks a lot whatever he is."  
  
"You're just going to stay?" Severus asked incredulously.  
  
"I can't do anything else, don't you understand?" she said desperately.  
  
"No, I don't. But I suppose I respect your decision."  
  
There was an uncomfortable silence.  
  
"Do you want me to stay until Lucius gets home?"  
  
"No. He won't risk hurting his heir," Narcissa's voice was cold.  
  
"Narcissa if you ever need help, you've always got somewhere to go."  
  
"Thank you Sev." She gave him a watery smile, "You're very sweet. I'll bear that in mind."  
  
He smiled back at her and kissed her forehead suddenly, "Take care of yourself, and the child."  
  
"I will, you take care too."  
  
He nodded and left. Narcissa sat for a long time simply staring at the door he'd walked through and wondering how on earth she could reconcile Severus her kind, loving friend with the hard cold deatheater she knew must exist.  
  
******* 


	10. Chapter Ten

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.  
  
Wedding Bells Just Turned to Rust  
  
Chapter 10  
  
Lucius and Narcissa's relationship never recovered and Lucius didn't seem to care. Narcissa retreated into her shell, severing almost all contact with the outside world and often crying herself to sleep at night. The only bright spot she could see was the birth of her child, now confirmed to be a boy.  
  
He was born in late February, tiny and premature. Lucius wasn't present at the birth. He visited her briefly after in St. Mungo's where she had to remain for several weeks due to her son's premature birth. Severus on the other hand was a constant visitor though he consistently refused to hold the baby who, after much persuasion, had become his godson.  
  
"What are you going to call him?" Severus asked when the baby was still nameless several days after his birth.  
  
"I think I've finally decided. What do you think of Draco?"  
  
"Draco? It's certainly very unusual."  
  
"It's Latin, it means dragon."  
  
"Oh. I like it, it's different."  
  
"You really like or you're humouring me, you like it?"  
  
Severus laughed at her indignant face, "I really like it."  
  
Narcissa smiled, "Draco it is then."  
  
"Lucius approves?"  
  
"Lucius can go to hell, this is my son not his."  
  
Severus was pleased to hear something of her old fiery temperament in her voice but could not help but wonder how long she would hold to that idea with Lucius around. He had been horrified to watch the way over the last six weeks or so she had diminished until she was little more than her husband's shadow. He glanced towards the door desperate to leave but not wishing to seem rude. He hated children and he was sure that Narcissa was going to start pressurising him to hold the damned thing again. Sure enough...  
  
"Severus, won't you hold him before you go? Just for a minute?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Please? Lucius didn't even hold him."  
  
The pleading look in Narcissa's eyes decided him.  
  
"I don't know how."  
  
"I'll show you, just support his head. That's it. See he's not scary is he?"  
  
"I feel like I'm going to break him. He's too bloody small."  
  
Narcissa laughed at him, "That's not his fault."  
  
A nearby nurse snickered and said, "First time fathers are always the same!"  
  
"I am not the father! Ow!"  
  
The "ow" had been in response to the little bundle grabbing a strand of his black hair and giving it a sharp tug, Narcissa of course found this adorable as did the nurse.  
  
"Oh, I think he likes you!"  
  
"Great! Do you want him back?"  
  
"Alright, give him here." Narcissa took hold of the child and said to him, "Don't worry he loves you really he just doesn't know how to show it."  
  
"Narcissa!" Severus growled at her.  
  
"You're his godfather you have to love him!"  
  
"Well alright but there's no need to go telling him that! I have to go."  
  
He walked out leaving Narcissa laughing at his retreating back.  
  
"Men!" commented the red haired woman in the next bed.  
  
"I know, they're useless aren't they!" Narcissa replied through her laughter.  
  
"Absolutely! My husband's worse than my children!" The woman said affectionately, and it was clear that she wouldn't be parted from him for all the world.  
  
"Children? How many have you got?" Narcissa asked curiously, keen to have someone to talk to.  
  
"Well Ron here's the sixth." The woman gestured to the baby sleeping quietly in her arms.  
  
"The sixth! Bloody hell! How do you cope?!" Narcissa had recently been worrying that she would be unable to cope with one child and the idea of six left her wanting to follow Severus in running out the door.  
  
"Barely!" the woman laughed. "Is that your first?"  
  
"Yes. He's called Draco."  
  
"What a pretty name! I'm Molly by the way, Molly Weasley."  
  
"Narcissa Malfoy."  
  
"Oh, how lovely to meet you." Molly didn't sound like she thought it was lovely to meet her though.  
  
Narcissa sighed, the name Malfoy never got a good reaction and she just hoped that by the time her son had grown up things would be different.  
  
"It's nice to meet you too," Narcissa turned on her most charming smile. "Ron looks adorable with all that red hair!"  
  
Molly smiled at the baby fondly and replied, "Yes, Draco seems to have your hair too."  
  
"Yes, but he has his father's eyes."  
  
"Speaking of fathers, here comes my Arthur."  
  
Narcissa looked up to see a tall, red headed man enter the room with five children in tow. He looked good natured but harassed and the kids didn't half look like a handful. The two eldest were trying to keep the youngest two inline as they tried to tease the other child who was much quieter and was simply holding his father's hand. The family fell into happy conversation and Narcissa returned to her thoughts. She had heard Lucius speak disparagingly of the Weasleys but seeing how happy they were together she couldn't help envying Molly with her darling children and handsome, kind husband, who was at that moment gazing lovingly at his youngest child and smiling wife.  
  
When they had gone Molly turned to her and said, "Your husband doesn't visit often."  
  
"No, he's very busy."  
  
Molly was only there for another week but in that time she and Narcissa began to get along really well, talking and laughing. Molly dishing out advice as to how to look after children and Narcissa eagerly listening.  
  
"You should drop in for a cup of tea sometime dear," Molly said as she left with her husband.  
  
"Oh that would be lovely! But I can't, I'm sorry I don't think my husband would like it."  
  
"Oh, alright then." Molly sounded a little offended as she said goodbye to Narcissa and Draco and left with her husband.  
  
"Sorry Molly," Narcissa said when the woman was out of hearing range, "but you don't want to get your children mixed up with my family.  
  
*******  
  
A/N: Yay! The Weasleys! I love Weasleys! I'll update again soon! Please Review, I have no dignity left, I'm begging! Oh, and go and read Turning Point if you want to read about lovely, lovely Sev! It's all about how he turns spy and links with this story.  
  
Oh and I know the books don't describe Arthur Weasley as handsome but honest_iago insists that I write that he is, he is lovely anyway. 


	11. Chapter Eleven

Disclaimer: I'm not J.K. Rowling so none of this belongs to me apart from the plot.  
  
A/N: Here we go, sorry this update took longer than usual but I've been madly writing History Coursework.  
  
Review Responses:  
  
Thank you to T. A. Skywalker for being my one and only reviewer of the last update! I am also sorry that I don't get many reviews but those who have reviewed kind of make up for that because you all say such nice things! Glad you liked Turning Point, I adore Sev! Sorry I kept you waiting so long for an update!  
  
Thank you also to honest_iago for reviewing Turning Point. And thank you for terming me the new JK but I'm really not, as my disclaimer points out.  
  
Wedding Bells Just Turned to Rust  
  
**Narcissa's Thoughts**  
  
Chapter 11  
  
Narcissa returned to Malfoy Manor determined to make the best of her situation. She was afraid of incurring her husband's wrath by doing anything he might conceivably disapprove of but she was adamant that her child would not grow up like him. The Dark Lord was rising in power and she realised that she had nothing to gain by opposing him so she went back to the dutiful wife routine, telling herself that it was for her son's sake but unable still to forget what had happened to that little girl.  
  
Lucius didn't hit her again but seemed to delight in running her down, he always got his way and eventually she ceased to fight him. Besides anything else the realisation hit her that there was no one else who cared about her. Severus cared but he was cold and distant even at the best of times and her best friend had turned away from her. She still thought about Morgana wishing that she would get in touch, but there was never any news.  
  
Then one day, around eighteen months after Draco's birth, desperation set in, she decided she'd had enough and wrote a letter to Morgana's parents asking if they could talk to her on Narcissa's behalf. The letter she got back however said that they had not seen their daughter since several days before she had moved out of their London apartment. Narcissa was horrified, she knew that there was no way Morgana would simply drop her parents in such a way.  
  
She waited until Lucius went out and then, using a photograph of Morgana and a necklace she had left in the apartment when she moved out she attempted to trace her magically. Her spell failed and she knew then that something was seriously wrong. So, leaving Draco with Dobby, she apparated to her old apartment and, drawing on the dark arts she had picked up from Lucius, cast a spell to reveal to her what had happened the night Morgana had left.   
  
She cast a spell first on the new inhabitants to ensure they would not be woken and then made a small cut on her arm letting the blood drip onto the letter Morgana had written when she'd left. Most of the serious dark Arts required blood or actual death and this was serious indeed. If performed correctly it could force a vision onto the user of things that had happened in the area at a particular time. The letter was the connection to the right time and the necklace round Narcissa's neck was a connection to the right person. She took a deep breath and muttered the incantation calling on powers she wasn't overly sure she could control, but she hadn't been Head Girl at Hogwarts for nothing.   
  
She was hit suddenly by a dull ache in her head and she winced as it grew steadily stronger; then it began. She could see the room as it had been when she had lived there and she could see Morgana with her bags by the door, a quill in her hand writing the note Narcissa would later find. **So she did leave of her own accord and I suspected foul play! How could I think that of Lucius?**   
  
The vision continued, Morgana exited the flat leaving her key on the table. She walked out into the dark street below when she cried out soundlessly and a flash of green light enveloped her body before she fell to the floor. Narcissa saw two deatheaters take away the bags and the body and then the vision ended causing Narcissa to fall to the floor in a faint.  
  
She awoke an hour or so later with a terrible headache and blood on her robes. She healed the cut in her arm and stood up cleaning the carpet of the blood that had soaked into it. She did everything she knew had to be done, she felt numb and disbelieving but at the same time she knew the spell didn't lie. She apparated home still clutching the parchment tight in her hand, images haunting her thoughts.  
  
When she reached Malfoy Manor she found Lucius had still not returned, she then remembered that he had seemed somewhat panicky when he had left and said that he might not return till the morning. Suddenly Narcissa knew what she had to do.  
  
"Dobby!" she called and the little house elf came into view. "Is Draco alright?"  
  
"Draco is fine, he is sleeping."  
  
"Good, can you get me a pain killing potion from the kitchen I have a headache."  
  
Dobby bowed and headed for the kitchen and Narcissa went upstairs to her son's room, tears beginning to escape.  
  
**How could things have gone this far? How could I have simply overlooked everything he did? I'm as bad as he is, if it weren't for me Morgana would still be alive!** "I don't feel human anymore!"  
  
Dobby walked in just in time to see Narcissa sink to her knees beside Draco's cot and cry out. "Is Mistress Narcissa alright? Why is you not feeling human? You is still looking human to Dobby."  
  
Narcissa looked up and took the potion from the little creature. It removed the throbbing in her head and she felt her mind grow clearer, strength returning to her tired limbs.  
  
"Thank you Dobby. I'm alright really. I'm going out I don't know when I'll be back but I'm taking Draco with me."  
  
"Is you wanting me to wake him?"  
  
"Please and dress him in something warm, it's cold out. I'll be back in a moment."  
  
Narcissa's brain had cleared and now there were only two thoughts running through it, **I have to get away**, and a the sound of a voice saying, **"If you ever need help, you've always got somewhere to go."**  
  
"Severus," she muttered throwing on some muggle clothes she owned, robes were too distinctive at the moment but she pulled on a warm cloak, before drying her eyes and heading back into her son's room. He was awake and teasing Dobby by trying to pull his ears as Dobby dressed him. Dobby didn't seem to mind, he was rather fond of the little tyke. Draco was a lot more trouble at one than Narcissa had anticipated and his energy seemed boundless. Eventually he was dressed and she lifted him into her arms and walked out of Malfoy Manor never intending to return.  
  
******* 


	12. Chapter Twelve

Disclaimer: I just own the plot.  
  
Wedding Bells Just Turned to Rust  
  
**Narcissa's Thoughts**  
  
Chapter 12  
  
"Severus?"  
  
"Severus?!"  
  
Narcissa called out but received no answer. She had apparated to Snape's small but adequate house where he kept all the things that he could not leave in Hogwarts for fear of Dumbledore finding out he was a spy. She'd thought he'd be there but the house was silent and empty. She looked around taking the opportunity to find out something about her enigmatic friend. Nothing there offered her much insight into his personality. It wasn't exactly spartan but after Malfoy Manor it looked that way to Narcissa especially as she had spent her life surrounded by luxury.  
  
Minutes passed silently and Narcissa began to worry. What if he had got stuck at Hogwarts for some reason? No, there seemed to be something big going on tonight so he was probably with the other deatheaters, **doing what though? On second thoughts I'm fairly sure I don't want to know!**  
  
A small sound at the window made her nearly jump out of her skin and Draco chuckled happily in her arms as she whirled round; there was an owl at the window, she took the letter it carried.  
  
Get out of there. Something has happened. The Potter's are dead and Voldemort has fallen, but you are still at risk. Go back to Hogwarts and wait for me there. Don't wait for anything.  
  
D  
  
"What the hell?" Narcissa whispered reading the note. **D? That can't be Dumbledore can it? But that would mean.... Oh Hell! The turncoat turned! But he wouldn't! Would he? Nonsense Dumbledore is a confused old man.** And then it hit her like a slap to the face, There's no way he could have fooled Dumbledore for this long, perhaps Voldemort underestimates the man but I know better. He must have betrayed us. He betrayed me.  
  
It was only then that Narcissa suddenly realised the meaning of the note's contents. **Voldemort dead?! Oh God, I don't even know if that's good or bad. But then the note doesn't say dead, but they can't be expecting any more trouble from him if they're pulling their spy out. Lucius! Is he alright?! Do I care?**  
  
"Don't move! Turn around, slowly."  
  
**Oh Christ, it must be the ministry.**  
  
She turned slowly to face a pair of masked figures.  
  
"Narcissa! What are you doing here?" Lucius didn't give her time to answer, "I suppose you heard about the traitor?"  
  
"Yes." Narcissa improvised, "I had to come and find out for myself. Did he really....?"  
  
"Yes, he did!" Lucius snapped at his wife, "Now come on we have to get out of here and why in God's name did you bring the kid with you?"  
  
"I..." she hesitated, "I didn't like the idea of leaving him with the house elf."  
  
"Yes, well you should have just stayed put," Lucius snapped, "What's that in your hand?"  
  
Narcissa looked down at the note, it would be so easy to say that it was nothing, that it was simply Snape's address so she'd known where to find his place, but then why did she owe him anything? **I don't owe him a thing!**  
  
"It's a letter for the traitor," she spat with a viciousness she hadn't known she was capable of. "From that fool, Dumbledore. It says that our Lord," Lucius missed the sarcasm in those two words, "has fallen. Is this true?" She advanced upon her husband power radiating from her and causing his companion to step back hurriedly.  
  
"Yes, and we have to go." Lucius was beginning to sound panicked, "We've been home all night, ok?"  
  
Narcissa laughed coldly, "You fool! He knows what you are, he knows everything!"  
  
"Well I'd like to see him prove it!"  
  
"You think he can't?" she asked unsure as to whether she'd want him to or not.  
  
"It's his word against ours. Besides I think we can use that soft spot he has for you to our advantage. He won't want to see you come to harm. Just tell the ministry I was with you tonight," Lucius pressed.  
  
Narcissa nodded. "We should leave here."  
  
"Yes, come on, we'll floo back right into the mansion. I'll go last and apparate after cutting off the connection, it'll be difficult to explain that away."  
  
"No, I'll do that. It's difficult to use floo powder with a baby in your arms."  
  
"Alright, come on." Lucius gestured to the other figure and they grabbed some powder, the stranger went to a destination Narcissa didn't recognise and her husband called "Malfoy Manor," before stepping into the flames.  
  
Narcissa smiled cruelly, she was fighting the urge to cry but then something she had learnt from Lucius occurred to her. **Why get upset, why not just get my revenge?**  
  
Narcissa pulled out her wand and, after severing the connection to Malfoy Manor's fireplace, she wiped clean the parchment in her hands and new words formed on it.  
  
The Potters will die. The old fool will be unable to save them. You will triumph my Lord.  
  
Severus Snape.  
  
**Perfect**, she thought. **That will certainly take some explaining! I'll teach you to cross me!**  
  
"You told me you'd help! You said I always had somewhere to go! Where can I go now?"  
  
Narcissa finally let the tears flow, emotionally exhausted from all the shocks of the night, then she dropped the parchment onto the bed and apparated away.  
  
*******  
  
A/N: Ok don't hate me! I love Snape but Narcissa's very emotionally unstable at the moment! I'm begging you to review!!! 


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Disclaimer: I'm not J.K.  
  
Review Responses:  
  
Queen Ali B - Thank you for reviewing both this and turning point, particularly Turning Point as no one seems to review that. An emotionally unstable Malfoy is certainly an unsettling prospect, as you'll see in this chapter. Hang on though, you don't like Snape?! Why?! He's wonderful!!! He is the best character, apart from possibly Draco, or maybe Neville (don't ask about that one I just love that poor boy). As my disclaimer continues to point out I am not JK, however I am immensely flattered by you saying that.  
  
Usako3000 - Thanks for the review I'm glad the story's holding your interest. You won't have to wait any longer now, chapters 13 and 14 are here. As for being mad at Narcissa, I do understand and I hate her for this but let me explain why she does it. She's very emotionally unstable and though she may not support Voldemort she still isn't sure if his falling is a good thing or not as was said in her thoughts in the last chapter, also there's Lucius to think about and the fact she doesn't really like the ministry much, she'll like them even less soon when she realises quite how dumb they really are. She feels personally betrayed by Sev because now she has to go back to Lucius, she also doubts whether his affection for her was ever real or if their friendship was simply to get him in better with Lucius. Also she's very emotionally unstable after the whole my husband probably had my best friend killed thing.  
  
Starlitebaby - Wow, you reviewed again, you must like it! Wahoo! I'm terrible with the cliffhangers aren't I? I'm also becoming one heck of a slow updater for which I apologise! The whole thing is typed up and ready to go but I keep being unable to get on the computer, well actually the internet I can get on the computer fine and, if it's any consolation to the fact I update so slowly sometimes, I am hard at work on the sequel to this fic.  
  
A/N: I'd just like to point out that in Chapter four when Lucius sends Narcissa upstairs to clean herself up after she's been crying to him about Morgana he gives the order to have Morgana killed while Narcissa's out of the way, I tried to put that in the story but as it's from Narcissa's POV and I wanted it to be a surprise I couldn't so I just thought I'd put it in an author's note. Also sorry again for the wait I couldn't get on the internet.  
  
**Narcissa's Thoughts**   
  
*Severus' Thoughts*  
  
Wedding Bells Just Turned to Rust  
  
Chapter 13  
  
In the following months the ministry quickly rounded up and tried as many of the deatheaters as they could find, which included Lucius and Severus.  
  
"Don't worry, sweetheart. I'll get off, the ministry hardly dared accuse me, they practically asked if they could put me on trial!" Lucius scoffed.  
  
Narcissa nodded, nervous about what would happen, she was not as confident as her husband but she knew that it was mainly Severus who was accusing him and his own trial was not going well thanks to her note, even with Dumbledore stepping in. She smiled at this thought, **at least there's some justice in this world.** Lucius didn't know she'd written the note and she hadn't told him, he seemed disinterested concerned only with his own well-being and reputation.  
  
"They sentenced Black to life in Azkaban, he'd probably have got the kiss if they didn't think he was mad," Lucius commented.  
  
"Yes, what was Wormtail playing at? Why would he seek out the best friend of the man he helped kill, surely he must have realised what would happen!?" Narcissa had wondered about this often over the last few weeks but could think of no satisfactory answer.  
  
"Probably thought that the ministry would get there in time to help him, makes him look like a hero enraged at his friend's betrayal, would have stopped them from trying to try him."  
  
Narcissa fell silent but she was sure there was something more to this, **perhaps he was hoping the ministry would protect him from the revenge the deatheaters would certainly have tried to extract had he lived. After all it was his information that led to the Dark Lord's downfall. It still doesn't fit though. Why would he hunt down Black like that, the ministry would have arrested him anyway! And Wormtail must have known he'd never be safe again no matter how the ministry tried to protect him. Suicide mission maybe? I still think I'm missing something.**  
  
"Narcissa!" Lucius' harsh voice broke through her thoughts. "Are you ready to leave?"  
  
Narcissa nodded and followed her husband in apparating to the ministry; they hadn't even held him in custody which she was taking as a good sign.  
  
She didn't watch her husband's trial leaving after she had given her evidence and pleading his case to the sympathetic jury. **I don't believe it, he really will get off!**  
  
Narcissa shook her head at the ministry's inefficiency and walked down to the detention cells feeling less and less confident as she went nearer the area where the dementors were guarding those who were yet to be tried.  
  
She spoke with a wizard who was guarding them and, with a few tears and flirtatious smiles managed to gain access to one of the cells. It's single inhabitant looked up as she entered.  
  
"Narcissa."  
  
"Severus." Her voice was cold and unencouraging.  
  
"How's Draco doing?" He asked, genuinely concerned for the small boy who he was secretly rather fond of.  
  
"Great. I mean his father's on trial for crimes he didn't commit and his godfather turned out to be a murderer but besides all that." Severus was shocked at her unpleasant, sarcastic tone, he had expected her to offer encouragement and show some concern but she radiated anger and hate.  
  
"Lucius isn't innocent." It was pathetic, but Snape didn't know what else he could say.  
  
"Prove it!" she snapped.  
  
"They will." Severus replied sounding much more confidant than he felt.  
  
"I don't think so. You see it's your word against ours. And you can't even prove your own innocence. Oh, how did you like your letter by the way? I thought you'd appreciate it, it'll speed your trial up no end!"  
  
"What? You wouldn't!?" Severus was shocked to the core, he had never seen her this enraged and malign.  
  
"Funny, that's what I thought about you!"   
  
Then he understood; she felt betrayed. "Narcissa..." he trailed off not knowing what else he could say.  
  
The beautiful woman leaned closer to him and kissed his cheek softly, "Have a nice day Sev, oh and just think the next time something kisses you it's likely to be the last thing you ever know. Oh, don't look so upset, I'm sure the Dementors will kiss it all better for you. Bye Sev."  
  
The malicious tone remained steady right until the end when her voice cracked and Severus saw the pain in her eyes as she turned and stalked from the room.  
  
*That woman is unbelievable! I had no idea she'd take it this way, I thought she'd be glad of the opportunity to escape him! How am I going to prove I'm innocent, particularly when I'm not.*  
  
******* 


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, just the plot.  
  
**Narcissa's Thoughts**  
  
Wedding Bells Just Turned to Rust  
  
Chapter 14  
  
"Lucius Malfoy, you are hereby cleared of all charges against you."  
  
Narcissa watched from the gallery as the jury came back with their verdict but in truth she heard little of it, her head was spinning from her conversation with Severus.  
  
**Why did I do that? What if they do convict him? Do I really want that, do I want revenge that badly?**  
  
Lucius was smirking at his acquittal and at the way the minister was all but apologising for trying such an eminent figure in the first place.  
  
**How the hell did the ministry defeat Voldemort? They can't even see through my husband, then again neither could I. Still, this is a sham! What if they believe my note's real! No, Dumbledore will defend him, that man isn't as daft as everybody thinks. Speak of the devil, why is he staring at me? Bloody idiot.**  
  
Dumbledore gave her a look she had seen a thousand times at school, but it had never been aimed at her before.  
  
Narcissa turned away from Dumbledore's piercing gaze back to her husband who was now leaving. **With any luck one day he'll choke to death on one of those bloody sherbet lemons of his, and I hope I'm there to watch!**  
  
She rose to her feet and turned to leave, glancing back one last time at the look of disappointment on Dumbledore's face. **You really hate it when you can't save people don't you?** she thought glaring at the man and waltzing gracefully out of the courtroom.  
  
*******  
  
It was several weeks before she finally heard the outcome of Severus' trial, Lucius was reading the morning paper when he suddenly looked up disgustedly saying, "I can't believe it! The traitor got off! I mean, the ministry went to the lengths of planting evidence on him and they still don't manage to secure a conviction! The useless fools!"  
  
"Sev got off?!" Narcissa had to work hard to stop her relief showing.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"That's awful. What does it say?"  
  
"Just that it was proved that he was working as a spy for Dumbledore and wasn't a deatheater. Wasn't a deatheater! Hah! He certainly seemed to be doing what the rest of us were!"  
  
Narcissa rose from the table, "I'm going to see Draco."  
  
Lucius nodded distractedly and carried on reading the paper. Narcissa left the room and went up to the nursery where her son was, closing the door behind her and all but collapsing into tears of relief.  
  
**I could have killed him, or worse actually! That was never what I wanted, oh God! I'm as bad as Lucius is, I keep thinking of myself as just another victim but I'm just the same, I'm just the same.**  
  
The tears rolled relentlessly down her pale cheeks, over the last year or so her skin had lost it's colour and she looked almost sickly she was now so pale.  
  
**Oh God Sev, I'm so sorry! I can't believe the person I've sunk to being!**  
  
She looked up to see Draco standing up in his cot watching her silently. "Oh love," she picked him up and rocked him gently in her arms, "I may not have been the best of people but I promise you I will be the best mother I can be and I won't let him hurt you, you're going to make your own choices in life somehow, I'll make sure of it."  
  
*******  
  
A/N: Please Review!!! The next chapter is the only one which isn't from Narcissa's POV it's from Sev's. Lovely, Lovely Sev! I'll update again soon! 


	15. Chapter Fifteen

Disclaimer:  
  
Review Responses: I love my lovely reviewers!!!  
  
Salazia Riddle - Wow, that is a cool name and I love your e-mail address! I am so glad you like it! I hope updated soon enough so that you didn't have to cry. Ok I have to admit Riddle in the film was pretty damned nice and I was on his side when he was trying to kill Harry but surely you don't like Voldy?! I actually have the whole thing written I'm just putting it up in stages, I am writing a sequel though.  
  
Usako3000 - You reviewed again! Hooray! Sorry, I just love reviews! Narcissa does do a good ice queen, I mean think about the quidditch world cup. Draco is totally a mother's boy, but will he stay that way or will he turn to evil Lucius? You don't see him in this chapter but he's in the next one, aged six, and frankly I think he's adorable even though I wrote him.  
  
A/N: This chapter is a little different from the others in that it's not from Narcissa's POV it's from Severus'.  
  
*Severus' Thoughts*  
  
Wedding Bells Just Turned to Rust  
  
Chapter 15  
  
Dear Severus,  
  
I'm willing to bet a good deal of money that I'm the last person you want to hear from right now but please don't just throw this letter into your latest potion or something. I need to apologise to you, I don't know what came over me. I don't have an excuse to offer you I was just feeling angry and alone, I thought you'd abandoned me and who knows maybe you did, maybe you don't give a damn but I don't think that's true  
  
That night, I was going to leave him, I was just going to take Draco and get out of there. You said I'd always have somewhere to go but then I got there and found a note from Dumbledore, because of you I'm still stuck here with a husband who is incapable of loving me, watching my son with the knowledge that Lucius sees him merely as a tool for his use. Why did you do it? Why did you leave me with him? I never wanted you dead but I have rarely felt so betrayed by everyone I know.  
  
Do you want to know why I was going to leave him? Do you remember Morgana from Hogwarts? Well I just found out the reason I've heard nothing from her for years is she's dead, the deatheater's killed her and I'm bloody sure that Lucius was the one who ordered it.  
  
Everyone in my life is either long gone or has betrayed me. I'm sorry for what I did to you but you single handedly destroyed my one and only escape route. I was so angry with you at first but then I remembered all the times you helped me, the way you healed my injuries when Lucius hurt me, the way you were the only person who visited me when I was in hospital with Draco. For the last two years you were the only person who showed any kindness to me and for that I am grateful. Whether you meant or not, and whether you knew it or not, you were a good friend to me, sorry I couldn't return the favour.  
  
N. Malfoy  
  
P.S. Please, don't reply to this.  
  
Severus was incensed, *Typical bloody woman, has to have the last word, and was that really supposed to be an apology? For that matter what on earth gave her the idea that she could just apologise for this and make it all alright again? Couldn't return the favour? That's like saying Dumbledore likes Sherbet Lemons, the understatement of the bleeding decade!*   
  
"Damn you, Narcissa!" Snape balled up the letter and threw it across the room before collapsing into a chair.  
  
There was a knock on the door of his lab, "Go away!" he snapped.  
  
"I'd really rather not Severus," Dumbledore, *(who else?)*, walked in.  
  
There was silence for a while, Dumbledore began to hum to himself and appeared to have forgotten what he came down for in the first place, Severus sat at his desk and glared at the oblivious headmaster.  
  
"Did you want something headmaster?"  
  
"What? Oh, quite. Sherbet Lemon?" he extended a paper bag.  
  
"No thank you," Severus replied feeling it would be somewhat beneath him to eat one of the damned things.  
  
"Go on, they're really quite good," Dumbledore tried to persuade him.  
  
"Did you come down here to offer me a Sherbet Lemon?"  
  
"Partly yes."  
  
"Partly? So there was something else?"  
  
"Yes. I thought we'd have a little staff get together this evening.  
  
"And you'd like me to keep an eye on the students."  
  
"No. I'd like you to come."  
  
"I'd rather keep an eye on the students."  
  
"Oh, don't be such a party pooper Severus, Minerva says you don't socialise enough and I agree with her."  
  
*Bloody McGonagall! Can she ever keep her nose out; she'll be telling me I'm not eating my greens next!*  
  
"I don't really feel the need to socialise headmaster."  
  
"You're a young man, it's not healthy for you to be cooped up in these dungeons all the time."  
  
"It was McGonagall who said that wasn't it?"  
  
"Yes actually it was. Are you sure about the Sherbet Lemon?" Dumbledore asked taking another one himself.  
  
"Certain, and I am equally certain that I do not wish to attend tonight but as I will probably get no peace until I do, I will be there."  
  
"Good, good." Dumbledore gestured once more with the bag of sherbet lemons which Snape merely glared at so Dumbledore left to annoy other teachers who he hoped would be more appreciative of his sweets.  
  
Severus sighed heavily and continued to grade some papers written by Minerva's dunderheaded Gryffindors, but it wasn't long before, amazed at the new levels of stupidity his students had sunk to, he tossed down the quill and stood up to go to dinner. As he left the room he noticed the letter still screwed upon the floor and bending down he picked it up and pocketed it, just so that none of his students found it.  
  
*******  
  
A/N: I know you only got one chapter this time so I will update again soon, I just felt that as this chapter was a bit of a one off being from someone else's POV I'd be better putting it up alone. Anyone who wants to read more could always go read and review 'Turning Point' for me, *hint, hint*.  
  
REVIEW! PLEASE!!!!! 


	16. Chapter Sixteen

Disclaimer: I just own the plot.  
  
Review Responses:  
  
Xia - You're right, my punctuation leaves something to be desired. My friend who has read the whole story thinks I don't use commas often enough and she's absolutely right, also full stops my sentences just carry on and on sometimes. Thanks for bringing it to my attention I wasn't sure how obvious it was, I'll have to try to stop that. As to description, it's difficult because the story skims over large portions of Narcissa's life that it would be deathly dull to go into. So do you mean more description in that way or in the way of the characters or their surroundings? Sev is funny isn't he? I love him, so sour and misanthropic, unfortunately he doesn't get any more chapters from his POV. Glad you're hooked. Thanks for reviewing and for the constructive criticism.  
  
*Severus' Thoughts*  
  
_emphasis_  
  
Wedding Bells Just Turned to Rust  
  
Chapter 16  
  
The next few years passed surprisingly peacefully for Narcissa. She spent much of her time with her son but she also returned to her role of the society wife, enjoying the change of company every once in a while. Slowly she and Lucius began to go out again to ministry functions and dinner parties and Lucius even secured himself a place on Hogwart's governing body though he didn't return to his previous position at the ministry. A few lavish donations to causes close to the ministry's heart i.e. the ministry, put them back in everybody's good graces and the trial was forgotten much quicker than could have been expected.  
  
Draco was still capable of being a bit of a handful but was pretty well behaved for the most part, though it always saddened Narcissa to think that the likelihood of him ever being able to know his godfather as anything other than a teacher was small.  
  
Malfoy Manor still had the same astounding ability to look gloomy and depressing even on the brightest of days so she often took Draco out to Diagon Alley and indulged in a little retail therapy. It was on one of these trips when she saw him.  
  
Sat outside a café glaring into a cup of black coffee was someone she had never expected to see again. She bit her lip then walked over resolutely to speak to him.  
  
"Good afternoon, Severus."  
  
"Good afternoon," he replied never glancing up from the paper he was reading.  
  
"You don't seem very surprised to see me."  
  
"I'm not. Diagon Alley is a relatively small place; I have run into half a dozen people I know in the last hour."  
  
She was surprised when he met her eyes to see how pale he was, there were dark circles under the coal black eyes which had always seemed so unexpressive but now seemed even more so.   
  
"You look so pale, almost unhealthy," he said after a moment of gazing at her critically. It had to be said she was no longer the young woman who had hugged him on her wedding day, she was still pretty and took care of her appearance but her skin refused to return to the healthy tan it had once had.  
  
"So do you," she said quietly.  
  
"I always did."  
  
"That doesn't make it any better you know."  
  
"Funny, I seem to remember a time when you weren't so concerned for my health."  
  
"I don't really know what I can say to that. I am so sorry, I realise that doesn't change anything but I can't undo what I did."  
  
"No, you can't."  
  
"Do you want me to leave?"  
  
"Do as you like."  
  
She sat down and waved a waiter over ordering Draco a sundae and herself a glass of ice water. "I presume you got my letter."  
  
"Yes. You asked me not to reply."  
  
"I know."  
  
"I never meant to hurt you. I honestly thought you'd never leave him, what was I supposed to do? I had no idea what was going to happen that night."  
  
"I realise that now. The letter wasn't much of an apology was it Sev?"  
  
"No. It wasn't, but it did explain why you did it. I still don't know why you lied for him at the trial though."  
  
"Kind of backed myself into a corner didn't I? I had no one else. He was the only person who wanted anything to do with me. I'd just set up the only friend I had left. I was frightened, it was my chance to finally get away from him for good but I couldn't do it. How could I send Draco off to school with that hanging over his head? People have long memories Sev, why would they respect the son of a convicted deatheater?"  
  
"Do you really think it benefits him to grow up with a deatheater?"  
  
"I wasn't thinking straight, at the time I thought things might get better, you know with the Dark lord gone, but they haven't changed."  
  
"Lucius never will."  
  
"Think I hadn't noticed that? I love him, twisted as that is. Do you know how easy it would have been to simply walk away without facing him and how infinitely difficult it would be to look him in the face and condemn him to god only knows what? Actually, I do know what, they'd have given him the kiss I'm sure of it. No one belongs in Azkaban but how a culture can deem itself civilised when we would do _that_ to people is beyond my understanding. No one deserves that. He needed me, for the first time in his life he needed me, I looked at him and I just couldn't do it, I couldn't betray my husband to the dementors."  
  
"You know, you are seriously delusional."  
  
"I know."  
  
They were silent a moment before Severus spoke again, "Hmm. He certainly looks full of life."  
  
She smiled at her son, "I know, he runs me off my feet, but he's so good."  
  
Severus looked across at the little blond angel who was quietly eating his sundae with remarkably little mess. "You've got him well trained."  
  
"Lucius doesn't like it when he's noisy."  
  
"What Lucius wants Lucius gets eh?" Severus sneered.  
  
"I don't like it either, you know."  
  
"So stand up to him."  
  
"Have you forgotten what happened the last time I did that?"  
  
"No. After all I was the one who picked up the pieces."  
  
"Something I'll never forget," she said covering his hand with her's. "I owe you a lot."  
  
"You don't. Anyone would have done the same."  
  
"Lucius didn't."  
  
Severus finally smiled sadly at the woman sat across from him, "He's not going to turn around one day and profess his undying love for you and everything will just suddenly be alright."  
  
"I know that."  
  
"Don't you think about your son and what this is going to do to him?"  
  
"You know as well as I do that there is no way in hell I'd win custody and I can't prove anything against Lucius now without ending up in serious trouble with the ministry myself and then what would happen to Draco? I can't win."  
  
"You know I stopped being angry with you when I realised that you really made your own situation so much worse than mine. Narcissa, you blew your best chance to get away from him, you did that not me."  
  
A single tear ran down her face and the little boy looked up suddenly and glared at Severus, *Good god I didn't know six year olds could glare!* he thought.  
  
"You made mummy cry!"  
  
"I'm being lectured by a six year old!" he raised an eyebrow intrigued by this child.  
  
"He didn't make me cry sweetheart, this is your godfather. He's been very good to me."  
  
Draco seemed reassured by this and smiled sweetly at Severus, "Sorry."  
  
Severus smiled back, "That's alright. You enjoying school?"  
  
Draco made a face, "No. Daddy said not to listen to my teacher, she doesn't know what she's talking about."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"She's a mudblood. We're better than her."  
  
Severus felt a chill in the warm summer air.  
  
"Draco, don't say things like that in public," Narcissa said tiredly.  
  
"He shouldn't be saying that at all!" Severus snapped.  
  
"Why not?" the child asked way too innocently for Severus' liking, "Daddy says it all the time."  
  
"Sweetheart, why don't you go play in the play area?" Narcissa suggested, seeing he had finished his ice cream and was going to continue to search for something else to amuse himself.  
  
"Ok," he slipped down from the table into the little play area to the side of the cafe.  
  
"What the hell was that?" Severus asked once he had gone.  
  
"Lucius' influence. I swear my child no longer knows how to think for himself. I'm watching him being brain washed and I can't do anything about it. He just wants Lucius to be proud of him and most the time he just ignores him, he only pays attention to him to yell at him or to spout propaganda. I'm watching my son turn into his father." Narcissa slumped down in her chair, her head in her hands.  
  
Severus didn't know how to reply to that and after a few moments of uncomfortable silence he rose from his seat, "I should go, I need to pick up some potions ingredients."  
  
Narcissa nodded. "Yeah, I should go too, I don't like leaving Draco alone like this. Tell you what, let me settle the bill."  
  
"You don't need to do that."  
  
"I want to."  
  
"Alright, I'll get Draco for you."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
She watched as Severus gently lifted Draco and carried him over to her. She smiled as Draco laughed and cuddled into Severus' arms, she took him into her own and held him close. "Bye Sev, take care of yourself."  
  
"You too, take care of _him_," he said pointedly.  
  
Draco waved at him as he walked away and Narcissa was left standing on the sunny patio outside the café feeling utterly alone. It was only then that she noticed, with some irony, it was the same café where she and Lucius had first met.  
  
*******  
  
A/N: I was always touched that the only time Draco draws his wand on the golden trio is when Harry insults Narcissa and insinuates she doesn't care about her son, they insult Lucius at times but never provoke this extreme a reaction from Draco and I thought it was sweet that he stood up for his mother like that. That's why I had him glare at Snape, I just love the idea of him standing up for her.  
  
I know, only one chapter again but you'll get two at once next time and then it'll just be the last chapter to post. This chapter just worked better alone and the next two work really well together. Chapter 19 will be the last but as I've mentioned I am writing a sequel which is coming along pretty well, I think I've written well over half of it now. The sequel will cover the timespan of the first four books beginning at Christmas book one.  
  
Oh, if you were wondering what happened the last time Narcissa stood up to Lucius she's referring to the incident with the child in the dungeon.  
  
Review Please, let me know you care! 


	17. Chapter Seventeen

Disclaimer: I just own the plot.  
  
Review Responses: Woah! Lots of reviews! You people make my day!  
  
Mugz83 - Thanks for reviewing and being so flattering! Lucius is an evil prat! I didn't want to kill the girl in that chapter but the darned thing just wrote itself! It ended up being the only thing to do but believe me I didn't want to do it! Draco is a sweetheart, but did you not find his mudblood comment a trifle disturbing? I adore Draco but we have a love/hate relationship, I mean mocking the golden trio is one thing but sometimes he goes to far with the things he says. Damn Lucy, it's all his fault! Yay! You put me on your favourite stories list!  
  
Professor Charlotte Snape - Ah, my immense powers of deduction tell me you are a Snape lover, well who isn't? I'm glad you were touched by this, I'm working hard on the sequel. I've read a couple of your stories actually, one about Neville turning them all into two year olds and another about the house elves going on strike and they were so funny! What have you been drawing? Wish I could see your pictures, glad to have provided a source of inspiration.  
  
Usako3000 - Yay! You have now left four reviews which makes you my most dedicated reviewer! Narc does need a friend and Sev is a good one to not blow her head off after her whole trying to kill him episode. Reformed Lucy? No. Not a chance I'm afraid, in my fic he is pretty irredeemable though I do at times wonder what made him the way he is but I'm unlikely to ever explore that as Narcissa is beyond caring why he is the way he is. I will admit though in the fics I've read where he is reformed he is just adorable! I wish I could accept your commendations about updating quickly but as this whole story was written before I even posted the first chapter I'm really being pretty evil and holding out on you!  
  
Claudine - Thank you for reviewing and I am so glad you like this story. As for killing Lucius well I'm faced by a bit of a pressure group on that front as honest_iago is determined that I should do just that. As to whether I will or not I'm not certain but it doesn't happen in this fic I'll tell you that much, but then it couldn't as all of this takes place before the part of the second book where he is very much alive and kicking. However, I am writing a sequel and I may write on after the events of book four and if I do then I have to admit it would be highly tempting to see Lucy get what he so richly deserves!  
  
honest_iago - I love that line too! And I know you care, I don't mind them being constructively critical it helps my writing skills, what there is of them! Thanks for the defence anyway. I always worry about Sev, it's so difficult to get him dead on and still show him as a human being with feelings. Oh, and of course I don't hate you, my hatred is reserved for the evil Lucy!  
  
Serepidia - Thanks for reviewing, I'm so pleased people like this story. I don't know why I decided to tell Narcissa's story I guess it's because we never really hear anything about her but Draco appears more willing to defend her than Lucius, he draws his wand when she's insulted but not when Lucius is. Also I think we can safely say she isn't a deatheater or she would have been at Lucius' side in the fourth book and surely Voldie would then have mentioned her. Of course then that leads us to question where was she during the quidditch world cup if she's not a deatheater? Well I have the answer in the sequel to this story, sorry I've taken to shameless self-promotion. Here's the next part!  
  
Wedding Bells Just Turned to Rust  
  
Chapter 17  
  
Narcissa was sat in the library at the manor reading peacefully, until her peace was disturbed by an excited cry.  
  
"Mum! MUM!" Draco burst into the library, waving a piece of parchment madly in the air.  
  
"Yes dear, and don't yell you know your father doesn't like it."  
  
As if on queue a shout came from the study, "Stop making so much noise Draco!"  
  
"Sorry."   
  
Narcissa smiled sympathetically at the downcast look on her son's face, "What is it sweetheart?"  
  
"My Hogwarts letter, it's come. Look!" He shoved the letter into her hand.  
  
"Darling, that's wonderful!" Narcissa threw her arms around her son. "Let's go and tell your father, eh?"  
  
Lucius did not like being disturbed and reacted with little enthusiasm. "Hogwarts is not the only wizarding school. I was thinking of sending him to Durmstrang," he said as if Draco wasn't there.  
  
"Durmstrang!" Narcissa exclaimed. "But that's so far away!"  
  
"The headmaster, Karkaroff, is an old friend of mine. Draco will be better off there. This is not up for discussion."  
  
"But Dad, I want to go to Hogwarts!"  
  
"I said this is not up for discussion," Lucius said his voice soft and deadly, "now go to your room."  
  
Draco knew better than to argue and complied with his father's wishes without question.  
  
"Do you want something else?" Lucius asked his wife, still in that same deadly tone of voice.  
  
"No." Narcissa cursed herself for being unable to stand up to him, telling herself she needed to go after her son and see if he was alright.  
  
*******  
  
Narcissa found her son sobbing, curled up on his bed, hugging a battered old teddy bear. She sat down next to him and he curled up on her lap with the bear. "It's not fair," he sobbed. I really wanted to go to Hogwarts."  
  
"I know sweetheart, but you know what daddy's like when he's made his mind up about something."  
  
The little bundle on her lap just sniffed loudly in reply and its grip on the bear tightened.  
  
"Don't cry darling, if it means that much to you then I'll have a talk with Daddy about it. Ok?"  
  
The child lifted a tearful face, "Really?"  
  
"Yes. Now come on, you're upsetting Mr. Bear, he doesn't like seeing you cry." She lifted the teddy bear from her son's hands and positioned its paws over its eyes, "See, he's upset too now."  
  
Draco giggled through his tears and his mother smiled lovingly at the small boy. She handed back the bear, "Now you stay here and dry your eyes and give Mr. Bear a hug while I go and talk to your father."  
  
She lifted him off her lap and stroked his soft blond hair before leaving the room determined that her husband was going to listen this time, whether he liked it or not.  
  
*******  
  
Narcissa took a deep breath and knocked on the study door.  
  
"What?" Lucius snapped and, taking this as an invitation, she walked in.  
  
"Lucius, I don't want Draco to go to Durmstrang."  
  
"Well he is."  
  
"I'm sorry dear," she said, attempting a soft but deadly tone of her own, "but what I meant was Draco is not going to Durmstrang."  
  
"I beg your pardon."  
  
She smirked, "You're pardoned. Now we'll have to take him to Diagon Alley sometime next week to get his school things."  
  
"What?! He is my son..."  
  
"Funny I don't remember you giving birth to him! Actually I don't remember you coming within ten miles of the hospital while I was in there giving birth! He's my son Lucius and he is going to Hogwarts! You went there, why can't he?"  
  
"That Dumbledore is a fool! He's the worst thing that ever happened to that school!"  
  
"Really?! Funny how he has now managed to topple two Dark Lords then isn't it?" The glint in Lucius' eyes made her realise that she might have gone too far. "He's not a good person to be on the wrong side of Lucius, you must see that. Besides, Harry Potter's going to be there next year, it would certainly be useful were Draco to ingratiate himself with someone who could well grow into the next real power in the wizarding world."  
  
As Lucius mulled this information over Narcissa prayed to all the gods she could think of that she knew her husband as well as she thought she did. If she'd blown this there wouldn't be another chance and she might well lose Draco forever.  
  
"You have a point," he finally said, causing relief to flood over her. "Very well, send him to Hogwarts, it may prove useful to have an informant there."  
  
Narcissa nodded and left before Lucius could change his mind.  
  
*******  
  
A/N: I like the idea of Draco being attached to a battered old teddy for sentimental reasons because he always has the best of everything so it's nice to see him looking beyond a monetary or aesthetic value, even if he doesn't realise he's doing it.  
  
I also love seeing Narc get one over on Lucy! 


	18. Chapter Eighteen

Disclaimer: Gosh I get sick of these. I did not invent these characters! I am making no money from this! If I were J.K. Harry Potter would be very different! For starters Ron and Hermione would get even more chance to be adorable together and the teachers would not be so blatantly anti-Slytherin! Hmm, that little rant came out of nowhere.  
  
**Narcissa's Thoughts**  
  
_emphasis_  
  
Wedding Bells Just Turned to Rust  
  
Chapter 18  
  
Narcissa was feeling rather pleased with herself with regards to her victory over Lucius the previous week. However, she knew he was not in a good mood and had therefore been avoiding him more than usual. She was forced to spend time with him eventually however as they needed to get Draco his school things.  
  
"Are you two quite ready?!" Lucius snapped; Narcissa assumed his worse than usual mood was due to the reminder that he had lost the schools argument.  
  
"Yes, we're coming." Narcissa answered him calmly.  
  
They flooed into the Leaky Cauldron and Lucius looked around him disdainfully, "Do you think they ever clean this place?" he asked unpleasantly.  
  
Narcissa decided to regard the question as rhetorical and didn't answer him.  
  
Stepping out into the sunshine of Diagon Alley Narcissa felt her spirits lift, she'd always loved this place, it was one of the few places in her life that had remained a constant and it was comforting to be there.  
  
They strolled leisurely down the busy winding street, or as leisurely as they could with Lucius' impatience, he was not as fond of the sunshine as his wife was.  
  
They walked past the apothecary's and Narcissa glanced in, she had been fascinated with this place ever since she had first been there in her childhood. This time though it was not the ingredients that caught her attention.   
  
Inside the shop was a tall man with shoulder length black hair and black robes with an expression of fascination and calm on his face, which was quite different to his usual scowl, making him look almost handsome. **Hang on a moment did I just think Sev was almost handsome?** She looked at him more critically. The black robes that should have made him look unhealthily pale somehow didn't, they offset his hair perfectly and the look of respect and wonder on his face did indeed make him look handsome. Narcissa smiled as she realised how long it had been since she had seen the man around his beloved potions ingredients.  
  
"Narcissa, did you listen to a word I just said?" Lucius broke in on her thoughts.  
  
**No. Now shut up so I can work out why I suddenly think Severus Snape is attractive!** "I'm sorry I didn't catch that dear." **Suppose I should make an effort for Draco's sake!**  
  
"I said, why don't I get his books, I need to go to Flourish and Blots anyway, and you can take him to Madame Malkin's for his robes, that is more your area of expertise," he sneered at his wife.  
  
**Oh right, God forbid I should understand what's written in those books better than you! Never mind that I've read more of the books in our library than you will in your life. I'll just go back to worrying my pretty little head about whether my robes are up to date with the latest fashions!**  
  
Narcissa cast a longing look at the Apothecary's, "What about getting his potions ingredients?"  
  
"I've already got them at home. Now are you going to take him to get those robes or not?!"  
  
"Of course, we'll see you outside Flourish and Blots once we've got them."  
  
Lucius walked away while Narcissa and Draco headed towards Madame Malkin's when Narcissa had a thought.  
  
"Sweetheart, you don't really need me to come with you do you? You know what you need, Hogwarts robes, hat, winter cloak and pick out some new dress robes."  
  
"Er, ok. Where are you going?" Draco asked, clearly curious.  
  
"Just to look at wands for you, I'll meet you in Ollivanders, alright?"  
  
Draco nodded and headed into the robe store. Narcissa headed back to the apothecary's but when she reached there Severus was nowhere in sight. **Damn it!** Suddenly she heard a voice behind her.  
  
"Hello. Looking for someone?"  
  
**I'd know that voice anywhere!**  
  
"Yes, you," she said turning to face Severus and smiling.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"I'm here with Lucius and Draco, we're getting his school things, he starts at Hogwarts in September."  
  
"I know."  
  
**As monosyllabic as ever!** she thought affectionately, realising how much she'd missed the man in the last five years. "I saw you before, I've been wanting to talk to you."  
  
"About Draco?"  
  
"Yes. I said I was going to look at wands and gave them the slip."  
  
"Why not just say you were going to meet someone else?"  
  
"Lucius wouldn't like that and I don't want to push my luck too far at the moment."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Had to pull out all the stops just to prevent him from sending Draco to Durmstrang. He's not in the best mood with me even though I did manage to talk him round, or perhaps because I managed to talk him round."  
  
"Lucius can be quite resolute. I'm impressed that you changed his mind."  
  
"Little bit of Slytherin manipulation and a refusal to back down or let him intimidate me did the trick. What are you doing here anyway?"  
  
"I came to pick up some potions ingredients for next year, besides Potter Jr.'s here to get his school things, Dumbledore thought it would be advisable if a couple of teachers from the school were here just in case."  
  
"What in case someone tried something in the middle of Diagon Alley?!" Narcissa laughed incredulously.  
  
"I believe Dumbledore was more worried that he would be mobbed by admirers but yes there are still dark witches and wizards on the loose, as you well know." Severus shot her a dark look, 'Potter Jr.' appeared to have put him in a bad mood.  
  
"Ouch!" she frowned.  
  
He merely raised an eyebrow.  
  
She decided she'd probably had that coming to her and changed the subject, "So, you're here to protect the boy whose father you hated."  
  
"That's the long and the short of it yes."  
  
"Fun!"  
  
"Not really."  
  
"If they were that worried why didn't they just send a teacher with him?"  
  
"They did, Hagrid," he said as if that one word should explain it all. It did to Narcissa he had been there in her Hogwart's days.  
  
"Oh, well I'm sure he could look after the kid, if he doesn't get drunk and lose him that is." She smirked, but more in affection than disdain as she had rather liked the giant man.  
  
"Precisely my worry, but he made it through the Leaky Cauldron so I think the real danger's past."  
  
The two of them laughed, it was only for a moment but in ten years it was the closest that had got to acting like the friends they had once been.  
  
"What did you want to talk to me about Draco for anyway? Do you want to get a drink or are we ok here?"  
  
"We should be ok, Lucy's in Flourish and Blots with a rather long book list and as it looked like half the world was in there he'll probably be a while."  
  
"Lucy!?"  
  
"Oh, just something I call him as a term of disrespect."  
  
Severus couldn't help but laugh at the idea of Lucius Malfoy being called Lucy. "I hope you don't do that to his face."  
  
"Not usually but I had a near miss once," she laughed.  
  
"Last time we met you told me you still loved him, do you now?"  
  
"Oh, I don't know. No, I don't think so." She paused, "It's just every now and then he'll do something, like take my arm when it's snowing so that I don't fall over, or laugh at my jokes, or escort me into a dinner party looking proud to have me on his arm, and I see the man I fell for and I fall all over again. He's not all bad Sev, I know that there was good in him once and I'm not delusional, I don't think that I can find it or that I can change him. He's not just in need of a bit of love and a push in the right direction. I know he's not a nice person, I accept that, but I refuse to believe the man I fell in love with was an illusion."  
  
"Narcissa, I..."  
  
"You think I'm crazy?"  
  
"No...well you have had your less lucid moments."  
  
She laughed, "I know. I'm not really in love with him any more, I just wouldn't know what to do without him I guess."  
  
There was a silence while they both absorbed what had just been said, Severus beginning to wonder exactly how stable his old friend truly was before shaking his head and changing the subject, unwilling to continue a fruitless debate about Lucius.  
  
"Where is Draco?"  
  
"Madame Malkins, new robes, he can mange on his own, he needs some new dress robes anyway so he could be a while in there. I wanted to talk to you about him coming to Hogwarts."  
  
"Go ahead."  
  
"Well, I'm sick of watching my son being brainwashed. I don't want him to have people cower away from him when he walks down a street because of who he is. He needs to learn that you cannot create respect from fear. Fearing someone does not make you respect them. I want him to have the freedom and choices that I threw away. I don't want him to be condemned to living his father's life and I certainly don't want to see him turn into a mini Lucius."  
  
"I can understand that but what do you think I can do?"  
  
"Sev, he is finally going to get out. He is going to spend nine months of every year for the next seven years out of his father's reach and I'm hoping that'll be enough. I want him to become his own person. I'm going to miss him like hell, don't get me wrong but while he's at Hogwarts I'm hoping he'll re-think his father's ideas. He's bound to be in Slytherin Sev, and you are their head of house. Could you keep an eye on him for me?"  
  
"Well of course, I keep an eye on all my students."  
  
"You know what I mean, don't pressurize him but let him have a teacher he can look up to and feel he trust. He will respect you, in a way he doesn't me because I'm far too soft with him. He's never going to look up to Dumbledore or McGonagall or Flitwick but you are exactly the kind of person he would respect. I'm just asking you to help him if he needs it, allow him to make his own decisions and if he ever comes to you, don't turn him away because of what I did."  
  
"Narcissa, I would never hold your actions against your son."  
  
"Really? So I take it you won't be holding the actions of James against "Potter Jr." then?" she asked in amusement.  
  
Severus gave her a smile which said that Harry Potter was going to rue the day James Potter had saved Severus Snape's life.  
  
"Well, maybe."  
  
"You're evil Sev." She smiled warmly and a little wistfully at him.  
  
"So are all Slytherins, remember?"  
  
"All too well."  
  
"I'll look after him, but I can't promise miracles Narcissa, if he wants to follow in his father's footsteps there will be nothing I can do."  
  
"Just don't give up on him."  
  
"I won't," he promised.  
  
"Thanks Sev, you're a really good person you know that?"  
  
"I don't exactly have a heart of gold Narcissa."  
  
"I know, that'd be pretty boring anyway, but you do have a good heart Sev, you saw what the right thing was when I couldn't and you did it with no thought to the consequences that you might endure."  
  
"I assure you I did consider the consequences."  
  
"Didn't stop you though did it? I think you're very brave Severus."  
  
"If I were I'd never have been involved with _them_ as long as I was."  
  
"I think you more than made up for that. I have to go, Lucy will wonder where I've got to."  
  
She smiled at him sadly then laughed, "Hey, maybe I married the wrong deatheater?" Severus couldn't help but notice though that her smile didn't reach her eyes.  
  
*******  
  
Narcissa made her way to Ollivander's, where there was a young girl just buying her first wand. She wasn't waiting long before Draco came in carrying several packages.  
  
"Hi Mum, I got the robes and I got some green dress ones as well."  
  
"Oh, that'll look nice dear."  
  
"Can I help you?" Mr Ollivander asked coming over to them, "Ah yes young Mr. Malfoy, I've been expecting you."  
  
Draco went quiet and looked at his mother.  
  
"Narcissa, I remember you buying your first wand, Willow wasn't it? With a phoenix feather core?"  
  
"Yes. That's right."  
  
"And Lucius, wasn't his Yew and unicorn hair?"  
  
"I believe so," Narcissa said dismissively, not in the mood to talk about her husband.  
  
Mr Ollivander seemed to take the hint, turning to Draco and saying, "Now, why don't we see what we can find for you."  
  
They went through at least half a dozen wands until finally Narcissa knew they'd found the one. The expression on her son's face told her he knew it too, even before he waved it producing silver sparks from the end.  
  
"Ebony and Dragon heart string, goes with your name Mr. Malfoy."  
  
Narcissa smiled and paid for the wand.  
  
"How did he know my name was Draco?" he asked as they headed off to meet Lucius.  
  
"Goodness knows, he seems to know all purebloods, half-bloods too for that matter."  
  
"Weird!" Draco was quiet for a minute then said, "Mum?" his tone wheedling.  
  
"What?" Narcissa imitated the tone he'd used with her.  
  
"Don't you think it's time I had a new broom?" he asked smiling sweetly.  
  
"What's the point? You know you can't take it to Hogwarts."  
  
"I could smuggle it in somehow!"  
  
"No you couldn't! Trust me nothing gets past Dumbledore, or Professor Snape for that matter!"  
  
"The head of Slytherin house?"  
  
"Yes, and though he usually goes easy on Slytherins he will not like you bringing illegal objects to school. We'll buy you a new broom next summer I promise."  
  
"Oh, mum!" he groaned.  
  
"I know it seems unfair, but you'll just have to wait, I did, your father did, everyone does! No one is allowed a broom in first year and I'm not about to start helping you break the rules before you even get there!" her tone was stern but then she smiled at him and said, "Don't sulk! I'll take you for an ice cream once we've met your father alright?"  
  
"Ok," he said cheering up a little.  
  
Lucius was standing outside Flourish and Blots holding a cauldron full of books, "Got everything Draco?"  
  
Draco nodded.  
  
"Lucius, I thought Draco and I would go to Florean Fortescues and I wanted to do some more shopping anyway." Narcissa said, realising that it was probably the longest sentence she had said to her husband in several days.  
  
"Right, well I've got work to do, I'll take the stuff back to the Manor. Will you be home for dinner?" Lucius asked disinterestedly.  
  
"Yes." Narcissa handed Lucius their purchases. "See you later."  
  
Lucius merely nodded and disapparated taking the shopping with him.  
  
"Now," Narcissa said turning to her son and smiling again, "Let's get ice cream!"  
  
*******  
  
Narcissa and Draco sat outside Florean Fortescues eating huge sundaes covered in Chocolate sauce and whipped cream. Narcissa had decided to indulge, telling herself that she could burn off the calories with a long afternoon of shopping.  
  
"Mmm, thanks mum!" Draco grinned and his mother smiled back sadly.  
  
"What's wrong, you look so sad, you always look sad, and you and dad hardly speak these days."  
  
Narcissa smiled again, amazed at her son's perceptiveness, "I'm going to miss you."  
  
"Is that all?!" he asked in shocked disbelief.  
  
"Yes. It's a lot to a mother, trust me. I can't believe how grown up you are. It seems like yesterday you were just a baby, Christ that feels like it was just this morning, it feels like yesterday I was in your shoes going off to Hogwarts, meeting Morgana, sorting, graduation, everything. God it feels like a different life, but one that only just ended..." She was no longer really focusing on Draco, becoming absorbed in the past.  
  
"Mum?"  
  
Narcissa looked up at her son with a dazed expression on her pale face, "I'm alright, I'm just remembering. That's all." She smiled reassuringly.  
  
"You looked so upset," Draco said, worried.  
  
"No, not really. I'm ok. It's just, I realised how much of my life has changed since I was your age," she sighed.  
  
"Well," Draco said putting on a mock serious expression in an attempt to cheer his mother up, "That's life."  
  
They both laughed even though it wasn't particularly funny.  
  
"Who's Morgana?" Draco asked curiously.  
  
"My best friend." It was a simple statement but Narcissa still couldn't bring herself to talk about Morgana, or their friendship, in the past tense.  
  
"Have I met her?" he persisted.  
  
"No. She went to live abroad before you were born." **Now, the thousand galleon question, did I lie to protect him from the truth? Or to protect myself from Lucius? Do I believe that my own son would betray me?** Narcissa looked at her son's face for a long moment, studying his eyes, trying to determine how much of Lucius was really under the surface. She drew a blank, her son concealed his emotions too well for even his own mother to break through the shield he had raised and that in itself disturbed her beyond reason, but she wasn't willing to give up on him. **How could I give up on him, he's all I've got left.**  
  
"Draco, I want to talk to you about Hogwarts."  
  
"Ok. But dad already did that." Draco said this as though there was nothing his mother could tell him that his father hadn't.  
  
"Well, I was there more recently than your father, I know things he might have forgotten."  
  
"Ok, tell me about Slytherin."  
  
"Well, we Slytherins, by which I mean your father and myself your house isn't certain yet," Draco snorted but Narcissa continued, "have a reputation for being the bad guys."  
  
"Are Slytherins the bad guys? Dad didn't mention that."  
  
"No, well we don't exactly like that fact. Slytherins are no more good or bad than Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs or Ravenclaws. There are good and bad people in all of the houses and I want you to remember that."  
  
"OK."  
  
"Slytherins tend to be manipulative and ambitious, they don't let much stand in their way when they want something. I guess that's where the bad reputation comes from. Ambition can make you blinkered. Sometimes all you see is what you want, you don't see what that's doing to the world around you, ambition corrupts people."  
  
"What do you mean?" he asked, clearly not quite understanding.  
  
"Like I said, it's all you can see and suddenly any means seem justified to you, anything can be justified if you try hard enough. But never just accept what people tell you, Slytherins are not bad and you don't have to try to be. It will be difficult at times, believe me I know. I was a Slytherin head girl, the Gryffindors wouldn't do a thing I said and the Hufflepuffs tended to cower into the corner when I entered the room. I had to get Greg, the head boy, to deal with the Gryffindors in the end."  
  
"Didn't the teachers make them listen to you?"  
  
"It isn't just the students who think Slytherins aren't to be trusted, the teachers favour the other houses sometimes pretty blatantly. As for Dumbledore well, I always suspected that he was a Gryffindor himself, so who would you expect him to favour?  
  
"But that's not right!" Draco said indignantly  
  
Narcissa couldn't help but laugh at the child's simplistic views on justice; **maybe I'm not fighting a losing battle after all**, "No. It's not, however it is the way things are. But what I'm trying to tell you is not to live your life fulfilling other people's stereotypes. I don't care what house you are sorted into, because I know something that other people tend to forget, it's not the house you're in or want to be in it's who you are that matters. It's not our qualities that define us but how they are integrated into our personality."  
  
"I think I understand, you're telling me to be me, not who everyone expects me to be."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Ok," he shrugged, "How hard can that be?"  
  
**If only you knew!**  
  
"Was that all you wanted to tell me?"  
  
"No. I wanted to talk about your teachers."  
  
"Oh, Dad already told me about not listening to Dumbledore and McGonagall and stuff."  
  
**Christ, Lucy, you just couldn't resist could you?!** "What did he tell you about Professor Snape?" she asked curiously.  
  
"Nothing really, just mentioned that he was head of Slytherin house and taught potions."  
  
"Right, well I used to know him pretty well and I trust him, if you ever have any problems I want you to go to him, ok?"  
  
"Ok."  
  
"Good. He's not an easy man to like at times, even if you are a Slytherin, I'm willing to bet that he's a pretty demanding teacher and he certainly doesn't suffer fools gladly, but stay on his good side and he'll fight your corner. He's a good man and he cares about the students, but I doubt he'd ever admit to that."  
  
"He sounds weird."  
  
She smiled, "He can be, but it's good weird, he's a brave man and he was a good friend to me. Don't mention him to your father though, they used to be friends but they had a fight."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Nothing important but they don't get on anymore. Your father doesn't like being reminded about that, so don't bring it up, ever ok?"  
  
"Alright. Will you really miss me that much?"  
  
"Yes, I will."  
  
"Oh, I told dad I'd miss him and he told me not to be weak."  
  
**God damn you Lucius, what exactly are you trying to do?!** "I don't think that makes you weak, emotions can be used as a weakness but to never let yourself feel them because you're scared that someone might get the better of you, does it sound like that makes you strong?"  
  
"No. I'm going to miss you too."  
  
Narcissa smiled, "I know sweetheart, but you're going to love Hogwarts, everyone does."  
  
"What if I don't make any friends?"  
  
"You will. Anyone who turns down your friendship clearly isn't worth the time of day."  
  
He grinned, an expression she'd always found infectious and ended up returning.  
  
*******  
  
A/N: Ok, explanation of the wands:  
  
Narcissa- Willow and Phoenix feather, the Willow is a symbol of forsaken or betrayed love.  
  
Lucius- Yew and Unicorn hair, Yew trees are poisonous and often associated with death and graveyards where they are often planted.  
  
Draco- Ebony and Dragon heart string, I have to admit the core was just to go with his name and Ebony is a very dark almost black wood which I thought would just be damned cool for him have. So no real reasoning behind his I'm afraid.  
  
How many digs at Harry and Dumbledore can you count in this chapter? I admit there are a lot, particularly that last line of Narcissa's.  
  
I refuse to believe all the Death Eaters came from Slytherin, look at Pettigrew for instance, but there is my explanation of why so many Slytherins turn evil combined with the fact that when everyone expects you to it must be pretty hard to see another way.  
  
Has no one else ever thought it strange that Narcissa should be looking at wands in the first book? Why would she need to do that, the wand chooses the wizard so Draco would have to be there. I found that suspicious so I thought I'd work in my own explanation for it. Also why Draco takes longer in Madame Malkin's than Harry does even though he was there before him, hence the new dress robes.  
  
Oh yeah, I just think Dumby was a Gryffindor and I thought Narcissa would think that because of the way he favors them. But it's not a compliment in my opinion!  
  
Next chapter will be the last, but there's always the sequel. Please review, not many more chances! I love all my reviewers!  
  
I'll update soon. 


	19. Chapter Nineteen

Disclaimer:  
  
Review Responses: Thanky you so much to everyone who ever reviewed this story! I love you al!!  
  
Chi - Thanks for the review. Snape is a softie deep down! True that Narcissa should have married Sev but then we couldn't do without Draco could we! He most certainly is delicious, as is Sev of course! I too am sad to have reached the end. I hope you do enjoy the sequel though, there's more Sev and I am loving writing it. It'll be here soon.  
  
Professor Charlotte Snape - The title is indeed from the beautiful south, did you recognise it or did you read the author's note at the start of the first chapter? I love that song and I feel that the lines really do sum up Lucius and Narcissa's relationship. I'm glad you like the story so much and thanks for reviewing.  
  
honest_iago - Don't be sad, I will post the sequel soon. I really hope my fans don't come and kill me in my sleep if they have to wait but I don't think they will have to wait long. I too like the latest developments on the sequels.  
  
Serepidia - I liked the idea of her calling him Lucy! Hee, hee, the indignity of that, ooh he'd hate it if he ever found out! Glad you like that line I think the stereotyping of the houses is dumb! Particularly Dumbledore's whole, 'you're good Harry because you chose not to be in Slytherin'. How dumb is that? If nothing else he only made that decision because of meeting one Slytherin he disliked and by going off the prejudices of someone who had been raised to dislike Slytherins. Sorry about that rant but I don't like Harry or Dumbledore much these days, which is funny because I used to love Dumbledore and his eccentricities but I hate his anti-Slytherin prejudice!  
  
Mugz83 - You think I make good points? I am overjoyed! Thank you so much, I thought it might come across as Narcissa being a bit moralising. Who isn't in love with Draco? He, Ron and Neville are my favourite students in Harry's year! Harry and Hermione are too irritating, but Ron and Herm are sweet! [Any Ron and Herm lovers should know that they get a little scene in the sequel, well it's more how they are seen by someone else but their adorabilty together is acknowledged.] Draco is lucky to have Narcissa, scary and psycho as she often is! I hope he stops listening to Lucy but who knows? Well I do 'cause I'm writing the story but I'm not telling just yet!  
  
A/N: Last chapter! I feel kind of sad putting this up, it's all over! Apart from the sequel (actually I believe it has now become sequels) that is but I'll mention that in the author's notes at the end. Enjoy!  
  
**Narcissa's Thoughts**  
  
***Molly's Thoughts***  
  
Wedding Bells Just Turned to Rust  
  
Chapter 19  
  
Two weeks later Narcissa found herself up until well past midnight making sure Draco had packed everything properly. In the end her son locked his bedroom door in attempt to stop her coming in and asking any more questions about how many warm jumpers he'd packed. Narcissa sat in her room and panicked quietly to herself, part of her never wanted the morning to come and part of her wanted it to be over with, wanted him to be as far away from Lucius as he could get as soon as possible.  
  
She sighed and got up from her bed, wrapping a dressing gown round her and creeping into Draco's room with the spare key. She sat on the edge of his bed and stroked his soft, silver hair as he slept. **He looks so peaceful**, she smiled. She didn't know how long she sat there but eventually she found herself waking up, stiff and sore from having slept in an odd position on the edge of the bed. The sun was streaming in through the window, but it's light was still weak, suggesting to her that it was still early. She glanced at the clock on the wall and realised it was still only five o'clock.   
  
Knowing she would sleep no more that night she got up and began to cook pancakes, or rather try to. In all her years as a mother she had never once cooked Draco anything, mainly because she didn't know how, but she remembered Morgana teaching her how to cook pancakes once many years ago and she wanted Draco to remember her pleasantly when he was hundreds of miles away.  
  
It took an hour and a half and several burnt messes later before she felt she had perfected the recipe. Dobby was stood to one side wringing his hands desperately, hoping that the mistress wasn't going to develop some odd tendency to do all the cooking and wondering exactly how long it would take him to clean the kitchen now.  
  
Narcissa herself was in a right state, she was covered in flour and there was a bit of pancake batter in her blonde hair from when she had whisked a little too vigorously. However she was ridiculously pleased with herself, she had even managed to juice some oranges.   
  
She arranged the pancakes on a plate, with a slice of lemon and a little bowl of sugar, with the orange juice on a tray and carried it up into her son's room. She found him awake and staring at his new Hogwarts robes like they'd bite him if he put them on.  
  
She smiled, "Couldn't sleep?"  
  
He jumped and turned around then, upon seeing his mother's unusually messy state, jumped again.  
  
"What have you been doing?"  
  
"I made you breakfast?"  
  
"You made it?!" he asked as though this idea were completely foreign to him.  
  
"Yes, now eat up before it goes cold," she placed the tray down on the desk and he sat down poking the pancakes with a dubious expression on his face.  
  
"You didn't have Dobby make them?"  
  
"No, I even juiced the oranges."  
  
Her pride in her achievement showed on her face and he smiled indulgently and tried a small piece of the pancakes. "Wow, these are pretty good!"  
  
"Well don't sound so surprised!" she laughed, "I didn't always have a house elf you know."  
  
"Really!"  
  
Narcissa just laughed, deciding she wouldn't mention that this was the first time she had ever cooked anything for anyone. Draco prepared the pancakes with sugar and lemon and started on his breakfast.  
  
Narcissa sat down on the edge of the bed then jumped up when she realised she was putting flour on the sheets. She caught sight of herself in a mirror and began to recall why she didn't cook. "I'll be back in half an hour or so, I think I need a bath!"  
  
"You do," Draco said, tucking into the pancakes and orange juice.  
  
*******  
  
After a relaxing soak in a bubble bath, Narcissa dressed in some simple muggle clothes and returned to her son's room. She could hear Lucius moving around in his study, but she didn't go in.  
  
Draco was dressed in grey trousers and a dark green jumper. He smiled at her but was looking distinctly nervous.  
  
"It'll be fine," she said even though he hadn't spoken.  
  
"I'm not worried," he said, and to anyone but her it would probably have appeared as though he wasn't.  
  
She smiled and nodded, it was still only half past seven, they weren't leaving for two and a half hours yet. She was dying to check his trunk again, but knew that he'd probably start hitting his head against the wall in frustration if she did, besides she didn't want him to see the small wrapped parcel she had slipped into it last night when he was trying to sleep. The parcel contained her own copy of "Hogwarts a History" which she remembered reading him when he was a child and telling him of how he'd be there one day.  
  
Draco moved in front of the full length mirror and ran a comb through his hair, using hair gel to slick it back in a perfect imitation of Lucius' usual style, **well Lucy'll love that, but I can't say I do.**  
  
However he didn't ask for her opinion and she left him to it, slipping out of the room to get Dobby to take his trunk downstairs.  
  
*******  
  
At ten o'clock the three of them took a floo connection to the flat of an old friend of Lucius' who lived in London, then a ministry car took them to King's Cross  
  
Narcissa hated muggle London, it reminded her too much of the times she and Morgana had spent in it. She felt a burning desire to urge the ministry driver to run over the odd muggle on the way but decided that that would inadvisable to say the least. **Gosh, I'd make Lucy proud with thoughts like these!** She smirked, too irritated to smile but amused none the less at the idea of Lucius being proud of her for her mind.  
  
Draco was rather quiet and Lucius was lecturing him about avoiding Gryffindors, Weasleys (**there go my hopes for seeing Molly again!**), mudbloods, and 'those who were beneath him' (**What? Who's that then?**). He then continued by suggesting (**and I use suggesting in the broadest possible terms!**) that he attempt to ingratiate himself with the boy who lived.  
  
**God, I am so sick of hearing about that child! The rest of the wizarding world may wish to bow down and kiss his feet but from what I've heard it wasn't him that was anything special it was his mother! And I'd rather Draco didn't bow and scrape to anyone, no matter what they can do for him or anyone else!**  
  
The car came to a stop jerking Narcissa from her thoughts, "Right," she interrupted Lucius unable to listen for another second without punching the man in the face, "We're here, let's go!"  
  
She all but dragged Draco out of the car (she hated the damned things!) and set of into the station, leaving Lucius to deal with the trunk. **Ha, ha, ha, score one to Narcissa! Oh great, I'm reduced to scoring cheap points off my husband!** She sighed.  
  
It was then that Draco said, "Mum, where's the platform?"  
  
She smiled secretively and launched into an explanation as to exactly how the station was concealed, which clearly went way over the eleven year old's head. He smiled and nodded, too busy staring at the muggles to pay attention. He grew even more fascinated when they reached platform nine and three quarters. Narcissa looked around her, smelling the smoke from the steam engine, listening to the babbling students and anxious/irritated parents. For a moment she allowed herself to remember the last time she'd been here, she and Morgana had been half laughing half crying and completely amazed that they were now fully qualified witches. She remembered Greg Zabini, the head boy and her one time boyfriend by that point good friend, had been taking photographs of everyone. The two of them had put together a yearbook before leaving Hogwarts, she hadn't looked at it in years but now the memories so carefully contained within that book came flooding back. She shook her head in order to clear it and saw Lucius come up behind them, now levitating the trunk; **did he do that in the muggle part of the station? I hope not!**  
  
"Right, let's get you on the train," Narcissa said to her son, "it's leaving in ten minutes."  
  
Draco nodded.  
  
"Draco, come here!" Lucius called.  
  
Draco walked over to where Lucius was talking to two couples the male halves of which she recognised, **Roger Goyle and Gareth Crabbe, with Crabbe and Goyle juniors now I see.** Narcissa followed her son keeping her hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Draco, this is Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, their fathers are good friends of mine."  
  
Draco, manners perfect as ever Narcissa was pleased to note, held out a small, elegant hand and said, "How do you do?" somewhat lazily to the other two boys who shook his hand almost reverently, **Lucius must have been their superior when they were involved with "the Dark Lord". I remember them, I don't want Draco making friends with their children, who look as stupid as I remember their fathers being!**  
  
"I hope you three will be good friends," Lucius said, "Now I suggest you get on the train or it'll leave without you."  
  
The three children did as he suggested and Narcissa watched sadly realising Draco hadn't said goodbye, until suddenly he turned back and ran into his mother's arms. She held him tight and kissed his hair, "Goodbye sweetheart."  
  
"Bye mum, I'll miss you."  
  
"I'll miss you too." Narcissa smiled and fought back the tears collecting in her eyes, as Draco turned and climbed onto the train.  
  
Lucius had floated off to talk with Crabbe and Goyle's parents and Narcissa didn't feel like speaking with them so instead she stared at the train, watching as an older boy with brown hair raced past her carrying a broomstick and calling out to a girl in a Scottish accent, "Angelina, you ready to win the cup this year?!" The tall, dark girl laughed and pulled him onto the train chastising his lateness.  
  
She looked through the windows of one of the other carriages and saw a face that made her stop for a moment. **Gosh he looks like...it couldn't be!** The boy had black hair and very blue eyes, he was staring out of the window with an air of calmness and self-possession which she recognised from someone she'd been at school with, but it was his looks that drew her eyes back to him. **That has to be Greg Zabini's son! He looks just like Isabella, but only Greg ever had that air of self-possession.** Her Hogwarts boyfriend had married the year after she had to one of her fellow Slytherins called Isabella Scicillano and the boy on the train looked exactly like her. **Pity Greg and I don't talk anymore, if his son really is like him then I'd have liked him and Draco to be friends. Of course with the deatheaters having killed his wife I'm not sure if there was a way the two of us could have remained friends.**  
  
"Mrs Malfoy?" a voice jerked her back to the present as the train pulled out of the station.  
  
She whirled round to face Molly Weasley, "Molly! Hello. You just put yours on the train?" Narcissa had to work pretty hard to hide her delight at seeing the woman again.  
  
"Yes, you?"  
  
Narcissa nodded sadly, causing Molly to smile and say, "It's always hardest the first time dear, it will get easier."  
  
"Alright for you, looks as though you've still got one going home with you."  
  
Narcissa bent down to speak to the little girl, "And what's your name?"  
  
"Ginny."  
  
"Well it's nice to meet you Ginny." Narcissa smiled at her. "What a pretty little girl, you said you wanted a daughter," she said to Molly.  
  
"So did you, did you never have one?"  
  
"No. Draco's my only child."  
  
"Narcissa!" Lucius called from the doorway through to the muggle station.  
  
"I should go."  
  
"Narcissa, that offer of a cup of tea, it's still open if you wanted to take it up sometime."  
  
"Thank you. I'll think about it, but I don't think it would be any time soon."  
  
"You'll always be welcome. Just send me an owl if you want to come round."  
  
"Narcissa, we should get going," Lucius said walking to her side, ignoring Molly completely.  
  
"Of course Lucius. Goodbye Molly," she smiled.  
  
"Goodbye dear."  
  
Molly watched as Lucius took hold of Narcissa's arm and guided her away. She doubted Narcissa would ever send her an owl, or come round for tea, and she couldn't help but pity the woman and even more so her son. ***I wonder how he's turned out?*** she thought.  
  
*******  
  
Promises, Promises turned to dust.  
  
Wedding Bells just turned to rust.  
  
Trust into mistrust.  
  
********************************************************************************  
  
A/N: What do you think? Please review, it's your last chance!!!  
  
The sequel is on it's way. It covers the first four books and sticks to J.k.'s events and timeline, ever wonder how things like the fight in Flourish and Blots or Draco dressing up as a dementor were seen by Narcissa Malfoy? Read this and find out. Also, why did she look like she had dung under her nose at the quidditch world cup? And what made Draco pull his wand on Potter and Weasley at their comments about his mother, for that matter how did Narcissa react to her son being turned into a ferret? And did they ever replace Dobby? All this and much more! Come on read it please for the sake of my sanity, what's left of it.  
  
Seriously if you enjoyed this one you'll probably like the sequel. Snape reappears too! Also I finally came up with a title for it so now it will be up all the quicker, I thought I was going to have to delay posting while I found a title but I've got one it will be called, 'I Built My Life Around You'. Yes it is more song lyrics but not by The Beautiful South this time, can anyone work out the song or the group who sing it, actually it's been covered and I don't know who the original is by. I'll tell you the song at the beginning of the sequel as well as why I chose it.  
  
Thanks for reading this and thanks to everyone who reviewed!  
  
Now review, it's your last chance and you wouldn't want me to cry because no one reviewed would you?  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Thanks to the new rule of no chapters that are just author's notes I've moved the below from chapter twenty, well actually the below was chapter twenty hence the problem.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE  
  
JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE SEQUEL TO THIS STORY IS NOW UP! YOU CAN FIND IT BY CLICKING ON MY PROFILE OR LOOKING UNDER ANGST AND NARCISSA AS THE FIRST CHARACTER WITH SEVERUS AS THE SECOND.  
  
THANKS TO EVEYONE THAT REVIEWED, REVIEW RESPONSES TO CHAPTER 19 CAN BE FOUND AT THE START OF THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE SEQUEL.  
  
BY THE WAY THE SEQUEL IS CALLED 'I BUILT MY LIFE AROUND YOU'.  
  
PLEASE COME AND READ AND REVIEW IT!  
  
THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ 'WEDDING BELLS JUST TURNED TO RUST' AND I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT.  
  
WEASLEYLOVER1 


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